A diagnosis of cancer in a child or young person and the subsequent treatment have far-reaching consequences not only for the child or young person but also for their parents or carers and wider family. Family-centred care is an established approach whereby healthcare professionals work in partnership with parents to meet the child’s needs and make decisions about the child’s care. Child-centred care, whereby the child or young person plays a central and active role in care and decision-making, has become more prevalent in healthcare in recent years. There is a debate about the benefits and drawbacks of the two approaches, which both lack supporting evidence. This article discusses how nurses working in children’s cancer care can use a mix of child-centred and family-centred approaches to tailor their care to the individual needs of the child or young person and their family. The author also examines the challenges of family-centred care and child-centred care and discusses how these can be overcome.