Formal and informal support strategies among bereaved parents and children: Met and unmet needs of families following the death of a child

Experiencing the death of a child is devastating to parents and surviving siblings, who must navigate complicated grief processes, both individually and as a family unit, and need robust support systems to cope. The current study involved in-depth interviews with 15 parents and siblings who experienced the death of a child in their immediate family to understand their individual and family grieving processes and identify support mechanisms that were helpful in the grieving process. Findings highlighted the importance of recognizing that each family and family member has different needs and the importance of understanding that families' needs will shift over time. A variety of support mechanisms were helpful to families, especially when support persons were willing to be present and listen without judgment. Parents were an important source of support for children, and access to informal and formal support helped parents better address surviving siblings' as well as their own needs after a child's death.