Bereavement support used by mothers in Ireland following the death of their child from a life-limiting condition

Abstract

Background: Children's palliative care is a rapidly developing specialism internationally. Bereavement support is an integral component of children's palliative care but to date little research has investigated the bereavement support that mothers in Ireland use following the death of their child.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore mothers' experiences of bereavement support in Ireland following the death of their child from a life-limiting condition.

Method: A descriptive qualitative design was used. The study sample was ten mothers who had been bereaved in the previous 5 years. All mothers were recruited to the study by a gatekeeper from a voluntary organisation. Data were obtained through unstructured single interviews and analysed using conventional content analysis.

Results: The findings indicate that the mothers relied on a combination of informal and formal bereavement support. In addition to depending on others to provide support, the mothers described their ability to self-support.

Conclusions: The findings show that mothers in Ireland use a variety of sources of support following the death of their child from a life-limiting condition. Health professionals involved in caring for families and children with a life-limiting condition should have an understanding of these sources.