THE ROLE AND THE TASKS OF PSYCHOSOCIAL SP ECIALISTS WORKING IN PEDIATRIC HOSPITALS .2. THERE IS NO GOOD PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE IN MEDICAL SETTINGS WITHOUT IMPROVISATION

To prevent possible fragmentation of professional networks, as describ ed in part I, the psychosocial co-worker should be flexible to negotia te his or her role. Therefore main areas of beneficial contributions a re described: Ameliorating the context of hospital care (including chi ld-adequate alterations of the physical environment; improving coopera tion among the staff; staff-counseling); supportive psychotherapy; edu cative approaches and programmes; enhancing patient and family members to communicate illness-related issues; and discussing easily omitted aspects of illness among selfhelp-groups. This description of heteroge nous tasks should remind the (whole group of) psychosocial co-worker(s ) that casework is not the only topic, they are good and necessary for , even though these other areas are not very well-established, yet.