Lessons learned in the implementation of an innovative preventive family intervention service in Bucharest

A severely ill person has to cope with medical procedures, hospitalisation etc. If this person is a parent, those consequences affect the entire family, which may result in a lasting distortion of children's development. The aim was to evaluate the process of implementing family-oriented preventive psychological services for children and families with a severely acute central nervous system injured parent. Qualitative content analysis of descriptive progress notes was used. Obstacles were linked to a lack of consideration being given to preventive intervention. High rates of refusals were encountered. A real “conspiracy of silence” was adopted by many of the parents.