Supporting siblings of children with long-term conditions: An international programme of research

2024-present

This international programme of research focuses on the experiences, information needs, and wellbeing of siblings of children living with long-term conditions. Using qualitative, integrative review, co-design, and mixed-methods approaches, the programme aims to inform culturally safe, equity-focused nursing and school-based interventions that strengthen sibling support across health, education, and community contexts.

Progress to date

All projects are ongoing as of December 2025

• Project 1 - data collection underway
• Project 2 - proposal approved – commencing PhD
• Project 3 - SLR underway
• Project 4 - to commence Feb 2026

Preliminary findings

Siblings’ information and education needs (international project)

An international qualitative study exploring what siblings aged 5–18 years want to know about their brother’s or sister’s long-term condition, how they access information, and how health education can be made more inclusive, age-appropriate, and family-centred.

Support needs of siblings of children and young people with long-term conditions (PhD – Filippa Jarlet, Sweden)

A three-phase PhD project examining siblings’ support needs, co-designing a sibling-centred intervention with young people, and assessing its feasibility and preliminary impact using a mixed-methods approach.

Co-designed, school-based intervention for siblings (PhD – Hannah Tall, Australia)

An international PhD project evaluating a nurse-facilitated, school-based intervention designed to improve siblings’ psychological wellbeing, family functioning, and condition-related knowledge through co-design and mixed-methods research.

Nursing practices supporting siblings of children with long-term conditions (Master of Nursing – Robyn Crozier, Aotearoa New Zealand)

An integrative review synthesising international evidence on nursing practices, interventions, and behaviours that support sibling wellbeing, with the aim of informing culturally safe, equity-focused nursing practice in Aotearoa.

Related publications

• Blamires, J., Foster, M., Rasmussen, S., Zgambo, M., & Mörelius, E. (2024). The experiences and perceptions of healthy siblings of children with a long-term condition: Umbrella review. Journal of pediatric nursing, 77, 191–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2024.03.022
• Hannah Tall, Evalotte Mörelius, Lisa Whitehead, Maggie Zgambo, Julie Blamires. "The effectiveness of psychosocial and educational interventions to enhance well-being among healthy siblings of children with long-term conditions or disabilities: A systematic review". PROSPERO 2025 CRD420251146085. Available from https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251146085.