Public Palliative Care Education (PPCE) Programmes for Children and Teenagers in Germany—A Narrative Review
- 1 Nursing Home Am Lerchenberg, Wittenberg, Germany
- 2 Last Aid Research Group International (LARGI), Schleswig, Germany
- 3 Last Aid Research Group International (LARGI), Schleswig, Germany
- 4 Letzte Hilfe Deutschland gGmbH, Schleswig, Germany
- 5 Pfeiffersche Stiftungen, Magdeburg, Germany
- 6 Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, Palliative Medicine and Pain Therapy, Helios Klinikum Schleswig, Schleswig, Germany
- 7 Department of Palliative Medicine, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Cologne, Germany
Abstract
Ba ckground: Public palliative care education (PPCE) encompasses educational approaches designed to empower the general population, including children and adolescents, to deal with serious illness, dying, death and grief. Objective: This narrative review aims to identify PPCE programmes for 6- to 18-year-olds in Germany and describes their main features and topics. In addition, the programmes and their content are analysed using a framework for PPCE education. Methods: A thematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and supplemented by hand searching of grey literature (project websites, manuals, reports). Identified programmes were described in terms of target groups, settings, content, methods and implementation and mapped to the PPCE key themes proposed by Seckin et al. (2025) . Evidence from a mixed-methods study on Last Aid Courses by Bollig et al. (2025) was used to contextualise possible mechanisms of action for the future. Results: In Germany, there are specific programmes such as “Hospiz macht Schule” ( Hospice Goes to School ), “Endlich-Projekt” ( Finally-Project ) and “Letzte Hilfe Kids & Teens” ( LAC-KT ). Unfortunately, the scientific evidence for some of the programmes is limited so far. All programmes address core areas of PPCE such as basic knowledge about dying and death, communication and value-related aspects, while practical skills are less well developed, especially in school-based formats. A formal scientific evaluation was only available for LAC-KT , which showed positive effects on knowledge, self-efficacy and openness to conversations about dying and death. Conclusions: PPCE programmes for children and adolescents in Germany are well established in practice but for some scientific evaluation is lacking. There is a considerable need for research, including mixed-methods and longitudinal studies, implementation research on curriculum integration. A stronger focus on practical care skills and community-based approaches is needed.
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