This book is based on the work of four children's hospices and without the help of hospice staff, we could not have undertaken our research. Not only did they provide us with direct assistance with the data collection but also a great deal of friendliness and hospitality. We are most grateful to them for all the time and energy they put into the project. We are also highly indebted to the families we interviewed for giving up their precious time and for sharing their experiences so willingly.

During the fieldwork, we were fortunate to have the assistance of Sheila Body, Paul Brady, Julia Mansfield, Beth Neill and Zo~ Taylor. Thanks go to them for their support and interest. We are also grateful to Maggie Barker, Claire Benjamin, Lesley Campbell, Hazel Curtis, Mary Lewis, Trisha Nash, Maureen Oswin, Linda Ward, and Keith Young for their advice and comments on the research questions and findings.

Alison Wertheimer has edited the final report with great care and we are especially grateful to her for her hard work and patience. We also wish to thank Jane Charlton for her conscientious secretarial support throughout the project. Finally, our thanks go to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation for their support, which enabled us to undertake this study.