OP18
NEURO ONCOLOGY PARENT'S AWARENESS DAY Free

INTRODUCTION: An awareness day was developed in response to feedback from parents/carers of children and young people (CYP) with brain tumours. Objectives of the day were; increased understanding of the ongoing implications of having a brain tumour, providing information on accessing support and opportunities to meet other families. METHOD: The day was developed by a multi-professional team working with CYP diagnosed with a brain tumour at a regional centre. A series of presentations were delivered covering the following topics: learning/education, rehabilitation, practical and financial support, and psychosocial issues. Time was also allocated for discussion, questions and opportunities to meet other parents. All parents/carers of children diagnosed within the previous year were invited to attend. Feedback was solicited on the relevance and content at the end of the day. RESULTS: 13 parents/carers from 7 families attended the awareness day. All but one completed the feedback questionnaire. Overall, the majority of parents (5 out of 6) felt the content was ‘very helpful', and all parents felt the session relevance was either ‘helpful' or ‘very helpful'. The most helpful session was reported to be ‘brain tumours and learning'. Parents valued the opportunity to meet other families, although two felt more time could have been allocated for this. All appreciated the discussion and question time. CONCLUSION: Provision of an awareness day for parents/carers offered a well-received opportunity for families to engage with a range of professionals to receive information and support around their child's brain tumour. Parents also valued the opportunity to share experiences with other families.