Parent perspective themes
| Child perspective themes | |
| Analytical themes | Descriptive themes |
| 1. Openness of communication with children about death and dying | Preparing children for the death of their parent |
| Anxiety of adults | |
| Involving children following the death | |
| Bereaved children and their peers’ lack of knowledge and experience of death and grief | |
| Others acknowledging the loss | |
| A shared experience of loss | |
| Change in identity | |
| 2. Children's challenges of managing change | Redefining normal |
| A different relationship with their surviving parent | |
| Avoiding bereavement interactions with peers for fear of sharing emotions | |
| 3. Navigating emotions | Suppressing emotions for reciprocal protection |
| Worry for surviving parent | |
| How losing a parent makes you feel | |
| Time line to grief | |
| 4. Children's acceptability, access and engagement with support | Understanding the sources of support |
| Support from those who knew them before their loss | |
| Distraction from their loss | |
| Continued relationship with the deceased | |
| The role of religion and faith |