Table 2 Interview schedule (prompt/follow-up questions in italics)

1. What was it like to normally care for your child (or insert name) before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic?

(a) What are the challenges and rewards?

(b) What services do you normally receive (medical, psychiatrics/psychological, behavioural, school/day services, respite)?

(c) What support do you normally get (friends/family)?

(d) Do you think others understand your caring responsibility and the impact it has on you and your family?

2. Thinking back to the initial lockdown in March 2020, what changed for you and your family?

(a) Daily life (i.e., routine for you and your child)

(b) Have there been any changes to the services you normally receive? Have any appointments been re-arranged, taken place online or been cancelled/postponed? How easy have you found accessing online/telephone appointments?

(c) Have there been any changes to the support (family/friends) you normally receive?

(d) Do you think others understand the impact of the pandemic on your caring responsibility and the impact it has on you and your family?

3. How has the coronavirus pandemic affected you?

(a) How do you think the lockdown/social distancing measures have impacted you (health/mood (mental wellbeing)/sleep/routines/relationships)?

4. How has the coronavirus pandemic affected your child?

(a) How do you think the lockdown/social distancing measures have impacted your child (health/mood (mental wellbeing)/sleep/routines/relationships)?

5. How has the coronavirus pandemic affected your family?

(a) How do you think the lockdown/social distancing measures have impacted other members of your family/household (health/mood (mental wellbeing)/sleep/routines/relationships)?

(b) How are you getting along as a family? / How is everyone getting along together?

6. Do you think you and your family’s experience of subsequent social distancing restrictions/lockdowns was similar to the initial lockdown in March 2020? If not, can you explain what changed?

7. What support have you/are you currently receiving?

(a) From family/friends/professional services

(b) How do you access support (i.e., what format—online/phone)?

(c) Is there anything that you don’t have at the moment that would help you manage better/In an ideal world, what resources or allowances would you need to manage lockdown/ to help your child?

8. What helps you most to cope with the current crisis? / Are there any coping strategies that you are using during this coronavirus pandemic? If so, what are these coping strategies and how have they helped you?

(a) Do you have any tips for other families in similar positions?

9. Have you experienced/Are there any positives from the pandemic? Are there any changes/have you learned anything that you are going to take forward for you/child/your family?

10. Looking ahead what are your main concerns/worries? Is there anything you are looking forward to (individual/child/family)?

11. Is there anything else you would like to add about your experience? / Is there anything else you would like to discuss that we haven’t already asked about in relation to your experience?

12. Do you have any questions for me?

13. Finally, what is the most important thing for you that we’ve discussed today?