Bupa has launched booklet support for children dealing with family members who have cancer.
Child psychologist Professor Tanya Byron has supported the free literature, after stating more emotional support was needed for cancer-stricken families and specifically, for child understanding.
She said: "When we, as adults, receive information that is devastating to deal with, it is almost harder to tell our children than it is to hear it ourselves.
"But research has shown that by not talking at all, in order to avoid the painful truth, many parents may be causing excessive levels of anxiety for their children - when there are simple steps to manage this."
She added little advice was available to address these issues.
The series of four booklets, called I Know Someone With Cancer, have been aimed at 7 to 11 year olds. The goal has been to provide simple and sensitive information and advice.
Dr Katrina Herren, medical director at Bupa Health and Wellbeing, said: "It can be very confusing and frightening for a child to find out someone they love is ill with cancer. We have set out to create something that children can understand and read in their own. "
