Background and aims: Hospital social workers (HSW) have an important role in supporting children and siblings psychosocially when a child has severe illness. However, there is a lack of scientifically evaluated psychosocial interventions focusing on the children and their families. In an effectivenessimplementation study, HSWs were educated in a family-based psychosocial intervention, The Family Talk Intervention (FTI). In this study, focus is on the HSW’s experiences of using FTI in clinical practice among families having a child with palliative care needs.

Methods: Interviews were performed with 13 HSWs working in a paediatric hospital care or at a children’s hospice in Sweden. The interviews were conducted about 18 months after FTI education and focused on the implementation of FTI. Qualitative content analysis was used.

Results: FTI was described not being revolutionary or a perfect method, however it had changed the work with children. Addressing siblings was described as something new. FTI offered a more structured way of working, giving access to children and making their voices heard. FTI enabled difficult issues to be addressed and it was beneficial to use it in a flexible manner, for example were questions adjusted in relation to the child’s age. Establishing a relationship with the children, especially teenagers were a considered a prerequisite for offering FTI, however it was difficult timing the offer of FTI. FTI brought attention to the siblings needs, such as providing time for the sibling or relieving the sibling from responsibility.

Conclusion: FTI offers HSWs a useful and structured psychosocial support method in the work with families having palliative care needs. FTI provides an important contribution to the poor research on family-based psychosocial interventions when a child has a severe illness. FTI has the potential to successfully contribute to the support of these families.