Fragmented and Frustrating: Professionals’ Experiences Navigating the Service System for Children Who Have Lost a Parent to Intimate Partner Homicide

Purpose Children are deeply impacted by the loss of a parent to intimate partner homicide (IPH), but face difficulties accessing sensitive, comprehensive support in its aftermath. Yet, little is understood about the perspectives of professionals within the service system, and the challenges faced in providing this care. Nested within a broader study aiming to understand and improve the supports available for children who have lost a parent to IPH, we aimed to explore the views and experiences of professionals navigating the service system for these children. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 professionals who had supported children who have lost a parent to IPH, analyzing the data using a reflexive thematic analysis (reflexive TA) approach. Participants were based across the mental health, education, legal, and specialist child and family service sectors in Australia, and included frontline practitioners working directly with children as well as individuals involved in broader aspects of programming and policy related to their wellbeing. Findings We generated two overarching themes: (a) structural shortcomings that hinder children’s access to consistent supports following the homicide, including poor cross-agency coordination and gaps in addressing the mid- and long-term impacts of trauma on children, and (b) the impact these challenges have on professionals , including feelings of anger and isolation, and their drive for change at the levels of service provision and policy. Conclusions Professionals’ experiences navigating the fragmented service landscape for children who have lost a parent to IPH highlight the extent to which structural shortcomings hinder consistent access to trauma-informed care, as well as carry flow-on effects that impact the wellbeing of both children and the practitioners involved in their care. Planned reforms aimed at enhancing child-centered practice may be of benefit to center collaborative policymaking processes that consider service providers’ perspectives, and towards supporting the development of a service response for children bereaved by IPH that accounts for the on-ground realities of service provision.