Having an infant admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) is a distressing experience for parents. Family-centred care (FCC) has been shown to improve outcomes for both infants and parents. However, there is inconsistency in reporting outcomes in FCC studies. The aim of this qualitative systematic review is to synthesise the experiences of parents related to FCC and to identify outcomes derived from these experiences to inform a Core Outcome Set (COS) for FCC in neonatal research and practice.

This review included qualitative studies exploring parental experiences of FCC in NICUs. Databases searched were MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Scopus, JBI, Lilacs, and SciELO, completed in December 2022 and updated in May 2025. Included studies were critically appraised using the JBI checklist for qualitative research, and findings were synthesised using JBI meta-aggregative approach.

From the 52 included studies, 275 findings were extracted. These findings were aggregated into four synthesised findings: (1) the impact of NICU admission on parental mental health; (2) becoming a Parent through caregiving involvement; (3) the influence of parent-staff interactions on parental experience; (4) psychosocial and relational coping experiences of parent in the NICU and beyond. Outcomes were identified from each finding, reflecting parent, infants, and staff outcomes based on parental experiences.

Parents' experiences of FCC in NICUs encompass both challenging and positive experiences, reflecting diversity in its implementation across settings. This highlights the need for studies FCC interventions to consider outcomes encompassing parents, infants, and healthcare professionals. This review informs the development a COS for FCC, ensuring that future research is relevant, effective, and aligned with parental experiences.

This study is a qualitative systematic review of previously published literature and did not involve patients, service users, or members of the public in its design or conduct. However, the results of this qualitative systematic review are intended to inform a comprehensive and inclusive list of outcomes.