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Background Childhood fractures significantly impact family life, disrupting children’s daily activities and parents’ work. Wrist fractures are the most common childhood fractures, and in the UK, more severe cases—where the wrist appears visibly bent—are often treated with surgery to realign the bones. However, surgery carries risks and may not always be necessary – as growing bones can naturally straighten over time.The Children’s Radius Acute Fracture Fixation Trial (CRAFFT) compares surgical realignment to non-surgical casting for displaced wrist fractures in children aged 4–10 years old. If non-surgical treatment proves effective, it could reduce the need for surgery. Understanding families’ experiences during recovery is crucial —particularly how they manage a bent wrist during healing. This qualitative study, embedded within the CRAFFT trial, explores families’ experiences of treatment, recovery, and their decision to enrol their child in the trial.Methods Using a phenomenological approach, we conducted telephone interviews with a purposeful sample of 19 parents across the UK within three months of their child’s injury and 20 parents between five and 11 months post-injury. Families were informed of the qualitative study as part of the initial consent process for CRAFFT and asked whether they could be approached about taking part. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic analysis. Data were managed using NVivo 12.Results Early interviews identified the overarching theme of ‘protecting my injured child.’ Parents strived to make the right treatment decisions, comfort their child, and navigate recovery uncertainty. They were particularly anxious about the wrist’s appearance and whether it would straighten fully, sometimes doubting their decision to participate in the trial.Later interviews identified the theme ‘being recovered,’ reflecting parents’ eventual confidence in the treatment their child received. By this stage, parents recalled the challenges their child had faced and expressed pride in their resilience.Discussion By one year post-injury, children had fully recovered, and parental concerns about healing and wrist appearance had subsided. However, greater educational support during early recovery is needed to help families manage uncertainty and cope with the wrist’s temporary appearance. Additionally, providing structured support for families participating in RCTs could reduce decisional regret. While our study included a diverse sample of UK parents, interviewing children themselves could offer further insights into their experiences and priorities after injury.