| Summary: | Purpose: This study examines pedagogues’ thoughts about children’s understanding of death, and their reactions to the death of a relative. The aim is also to examine pedagogues’ thoughts about their part in supporting bereaved children, and how they wish to do so. Method: Seven pedagogues, who work with six to nine year old children, were interviewed. The interviews were kept individually in quiet rooms. Result: The pedagogues thought that children’s thoughts about and reactions to death is individual. The pedagogues also meant that it was their responsibility to support bereaved children, but the children’s wishes decided in what way it should be done. The pedagogues exemplified strategies in how to support bereaved children e.g. talking and listening to them, hugging them and letting them know that they are there for them if they need them. Other strategies were reading death-related books to them or letting them watch pictures of the relative who is deceased and talk to them about it. The pedagogues also thought it was important to keep an eye on the bereaved child in case the grief affected the school achievements or if they started to feel worse. In that case some specialist would have to help the child to feel better.
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