PAYING TO PARTICIPATE - FINANCIAL, SOCIAL AND PERSONAL COSTS TO PARENTS OF INVOLVEMENT IN THEIR CHILDRENS CARE IN-HOSPITAL

Parental participation now has become an accepted feature of the care of children in hospital. However, the costs to parents of their involv ement in the care of their hospitalized children have received little attention. In this paper the financial, social and personal costs to a group of parents of children admitted to a surgical ward are describe d. Financial costs included loss of earnings, travel and subsistence. Parents' financial commitment was open-ended and the burden of financi al costs was inequitable, The organization of alternative care for sib lings carried social costs including loss of privacy and autonomy in f amily relationships. Participation in care could be distressing and so result in personal costs. Differences between the socialization of pa rents and health care professionals explain some of these personal cos ts. Implications for policy makers and practitioners are considered.