title: OC12 - A journey suspended in time: parents' experiences of caring for their child who is 'technology dependent' with complex ongoing healthcare needs at home.
abstract: Theme: Complex health care and chronic disease management.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Increasing numbers of children with complex healthcare needs who are also dependent on medical technology are surviving and being cared for at home by their parents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To gain an in-depth understanding of the lives of parents and the impact of their caregiver role on their family when they care for their child at home.
  
  
  METHODS
  An interpretative phenomenological design was deployed to interpret the narratives of sixteen parents through interviews and digital audio diaries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The complex journey parents undertake as caregivers to their child at home.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The understanding revealed will prompt practitioners to reflect on how to promote best practice for this group of children, their parents and their families by recognising the complexity of the care parents provide for their child and the support required in order to sustain their caregiver role at home.
authors.affiliation: Dublin City University, Ireland.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Corcoran
authors.affiliation: Ulster University, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Prof Owen
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.affiliation: Ulster University, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baxter
keywords: Caregiver; complex care; parents; technology-dependent children.