Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused chaos in the lives of many. It is common knowledge that during the COVID-19 pandemic, every individual had known someone who had lost their life. While the virus did not affect many children directly, it did leave many as orphans. The death of a parent can often be one of the most stressful occurrences a child can endure. During the COVID-19 pandemic, children who lost their parent or caregiver had to mourn the loss of their loved one while also dealing with the various challenges, changes, and other stressors that COVID-19 brought about. This study focuses on the experiences of intermediate phase learners who had suffered the loss of a parent or caregiver during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative, phenomenological research study was undertaken through semi-structured interviews of five participants and their surviving parent. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit participants for my study. The criteria required was learners in the intermediate phase in school, who had lost a parent or caregiver during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was analysed using a thematic analysis. My findings revealed that the experiences of the learners were often influenced by the surviving parent’s ability challenges brought about as a result of the death; and rationalising of the loss of a loved one. I also found that the challenges that COVID-19 brought had affected the mourning process of the learners. Lastly, the support the learners received had largely influenced their experiences. This study not only provides insight into the learners’ experiences but also provides educational psychologists, parents and teachers with guidelines to assist learners who are dealing with the loss of a parent or caregiver.
Keywords: bereavement, COVID-19, death, learner support, grief, pandemic, parent, qualitative research