Terminally ill parent

I’m a TA and I can’t stop crying tonight after being caught up on a meeting about a child in our class with a terminally ill parent. I knew it was bad, but I’d hoped it wasn’t terminal even if that was naive. The home situation sounds so hard all around, and to my understanding, terminal could mean many more years, but could also mean anything can go bad fast.

What on earth can I do? I feel so helpless and I want to help so much and I can’t. The child is very sweet but also very delayed, understandably, due to the home situation. The whole situation is just heartbreaking and of course it’s nothing to do with parents not trying their best - just that their best is very understandably limited for the foreseeable future.

I’m obviously not looking to fix things as it’s not possible - just small tips. The child is 4 and new to the school. Often confused about basic instructions. Our approach, especially now knowing the reality of the situation, is very gentle. Keeping it as easy as possible for him, whilst doing what we can to help his learning.

This is a first for me, and I’m not sure how best to help the child. Honestly I just want to let him have anything and everything I can give him because the situation is so horrible, but I feel that would be doing him a discredit and I should also be teaching him no (because he does need to learn no) etc, but it’s so hard to know where the line sits - especially in a situation where extra kindness and understanding is so very very necessary,

Feel free to PM me as I’m obviously being careful about sharing things publicly. I’d just really appreciate any help/support - this is hard