diff --git a/consensus/src/consensus/mod.rs b/consensus/src/consensus/mod.rs
index 9921acefe0..73196307c2 100644
--- a/consensus/src/consensus/mod.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/consensus/mod.rs
@@ -677,7 +677,12 @@ impl ConsensusApi for Consensus {
     }
 
     fn get_block_children(&self, hash: Hash) -> Option<Arc<Vec<Hash>>> {
-        self.services.relations_service.get_children(hash).unwrap_option()
+        self.services
+            .relations_service
+            .get_children(hash)
+            .unwrap_option()
+            .map(|children| Arc::new(children.read().iter().copied().collect_vec()))
+        // TODO: No need for Arc
     }
 
     fn get_block_parents(&self, hash: Hash) -> Option<Arc<Vec<Hash>>> {
diff --git a/consensus/src/model/services/relations.rs b/consensus/src/model/services/relations.rs
index 2d2b158877..b1fcaa0e35 100644
--- a/consensus/src/model/services/relations.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/model/services/relations.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use crate::model::stores::relations::RelationsStoreReader;
-use kaspa_database::prelude::StoreError;
+use kaspa_consensus_core::BlockHashSet;
+use kaspa_database::prelude::{ReadLock, StoreError, StoreResult};
 use kaspa_hashes::Hash;
 use parking_lot::RwLock;
 use std::sync::Arc;
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ impl<T: RelationsStoreReader> RelationsStoreReader for MTRelationsService<T> {
         self.store.read()[self.level].get_parents(hash)
     }
 
-    fn get_children(&self, hash: Hash) -> Result<kaspa_consensus_core::blockhash::BlockHashes, StoreError> {
+    fn get_children(&self, hash: Hash) -> StoreResult<ReadLock<BlockHashSet>> {
         self.store.read()[self.level].get_children(hash)
     }
 
diff --git a/consensus/src/model/stores/children.rs b/consensus/src/model/stores/children.rs
index b00ab190e6..6b68277a69 100644
--- a/consensus/src/model/stores/children.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/model/stores/children.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-use itertools::Itertools;
+use kaspa_consensus_core::BlockHashSet;
 use kaspa_consensus_core::BlockHasher;
 use kaspa_consensus_core::BlockLevel;
 use kaspa_database::prelude::BatchDbWriter;
 use kaspa_database::prelude::CachedDbSetAccess;
 use kaspa_database::prelude::DbWriter;
+use kaspa_database::prelude::ReadLock;
 use kaspa_database::prelude::StoreError;
 use kaspa_database::prelude::StoreResult;
 use kaspa_database::prelude::DB;
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ use std::fmt::Display;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 pub trait ChildrenStoreReader {
-    fn get(&self, hash: Hash) -> StoreResult<Vec<Hash>>;
+    fn get(&self, hash: Hash) -> StoreResult<ReadLock<BlockHashSet>>;
 }
 
 pub trait ChildrenStore {
@@ -99,8 +100,8 @@ impl DbChildrenStore {
 }
 
 impl ChildrenStoreReader for DbChildrenStore {
-    fn get(&self, parent: Hash) -> StoreResult<Vec<Hash>> {
-        Ok(self.access.read(parent)?.read().iter().copied().collect_vec()) // TODO: Pass read lock
+    fn get(&self, parent: Hash) -> StoreResult<ReadLock<BlockHashSet>> {
+        self.access.read(parent) // TODO: Pass read lock
     }
 }
 
@@ -111,11 +112,7 @@ impl ChildrenStore for DbChildrenStore {
     }
 
     fn delete_children(&self, mut writer: impl DbWriter, parent: Hash) -> Result<(), StoreError> {
-        for child in self.get(parent).unwrap() {
-            self.access.delete(&mut writer, parent, child)?;
-        }
-
-        Ok(())
+        self.access.delete_bucket(&mut writer, parent)
     }
 
     fn delete_child(&self, writer: impl DbWriter, parent: Hash, child: Hash) -> Result<(), StoreError> {
diff --git a/consensus/src/model/stores/relations.rs b/consensus/src/model/stores/relations.rs
index 192d5f4222..c7b4063324 100644
--- a/consensus/src/model/stores/relations.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/model/stores/relations.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 use itertools::Itertools;
 use kaspa_consensus_core::BlockHashSet;
 use kaspa_consensus_core::{blockhash::BlockHashes, BlockHashMap, BlockHasher, BlockLevel, HashMapCustomHasher};
-use kaspa_database::prelude::StoreError;
-use kaspa_database::prelude::DB;
-use kaspa_database::prelude::{BatchDbWriter, DbWriter};
+use kaspa_database::prelude::{BatchDbWriter, DbWriter, StoreResultExtensions};
 use kaspa_database::prelude::{CachedDbAccess, DbKey, DirectDbWriter};
 use kaspa_database::prelude::{DirectWriter, MemoryWriter};
+use kaspa_database::prelude::{ReadLock, StoreError};
+use kaspa_database::prelude::{StoreResult, DB};
 use kaspa_database::registry::{DatabaseStorePrefixes, SEPARATOR};
 use kaspa_hashes::Hash;
 use parking_lot::RwLock;
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ use super::children::{ChildrenStore, ChildrenStoreReader, DbChildrenStore};
 /// Reader API for `RelationsStore`.
 pub trait RelationsStoreReader {
     fn get_parents(&self, hash: Hash) -> Result<BlockHashes, StoreError>;
-    fn get_children(&self, hash: Hash) -> Result<BlockHashes, StoreError>;
+    fn get_children(&self, hash: Hash) -> StoreResult<ReadLock<BlockHashSet>>;
     fn has(&self, hash: Hash) -> Result<bool, StoreError>;
 
     /// Returns the counts of entries in parents/children stores. To be used for tests only
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@ impl RelationsStoreReader for DbRelationsStore {
         self.parents_access.read(hash)
     }
 
-    fn get_children(&self, hash: Hash) -> Result<BlockHashes, StoreError> {
+    fn get_children(&self, hash: Hash) -> StoreResult<ReadLock<BlockHashSet>> {
         if !self.parents_access.has(hash)? {
             Err(StoreError::KeyNotFound(DbKey::new(self.parents_access.prefix(), hash)))
         } else {
-            Ok(self.children_store.get(hash).unwrap().into())
+            self.children_store.get(hash)
         }
     }
 
@@ -155,7 +155,9 @@ impl<'a> ChildrenStore for StagingRelationsStore<'a> {
     fn delete_children(&self, _writer: impl DbWriter, parent: Hash) -> Result<(), StoreError> {
         let mut staging_children_write = self.staging_children.write();
         staging_children_write.insertions.remove(&parent);
-        let store_children = self.store.children_store.get(parent).unwrap_or_default();
+        let store_children =
+            self.store.children_store.get(parent).unwrap_option().unwrap_or_default().read().iter().copied().collect_vec();
+
         for child in store_children {
             match staging_children_write.deletions.entry(parent) {
                 Entry::Occupied(mut e) => {
@@ -272,15 +274,15 @@ impl RelationsStoreReader for StagingRelationsStore<'_> {
         }
     }
 
-    fn get_children(&self, hash: Hash) -> Result<BlockHashes, StoreError> {
+    fn get_children(&self, hash: Hash) -> StoreResult<ReadLock<BlockHashSet>> {
         self.check_not_in_deletions(hash)?;
-        let store_children = self.store.get_children(hash).unwrap_or_default();
+        let store_children = self.store.get_children(hash).unwrap_option().unwrap_or_default().read().iter().copied().collect_vec();
         let staging_children_read = self.staging_children.read();
         let insertions = staging_children_read.insertions.get(&hash).cloned().unwrap_or_default();
         let deletions = staging_children_read.deletions.get(&hash).cloned().unwrap_or_default();
-        let children: Vec<_> =
+        let children: BlockHashSet =
             BlockHashSet::from_iter(store_children.iter().copied().chain(insertions)).difference(&deletions).copied().collect();
-        Ok(BlockHashes::from(children))
+        Ok(children.into())
     }
 
     fn has(&self, hash: Hash) -> Result<bool, StoreError> {
@@ -366,12 +368,12 @@ impl RelationsStoreReader for MemoryRelationsStore {
         }
     }
 
-    fn get_children(&self, hash: Hash) -> Result<BlockHashes, StoreError> {
+    fn get_children(&self, hash: Hash) -> StoreResult<ReadLock<BlockHashSet>> {
         if !self.has(hash)? {
             Err(StoreError::KeyNotFound(DbKey::new(DatabaseStorePrefixes::RelationsChildren.as_ref(), hash)))
         } else {
             match self.children_map.read().get(&hash) {
-                Some(children) => Ok(BlockHashes::clone(children)),
+                Some(children) => Ok(BlockHashSet::from_iter(children.iter().copied()).into()),
                 None => Ok(Default::default()),
             }
         }
@@ -431,7 +433,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         let expected_children = [(1, vec![2, 3, 5]), (2, vec![4]), (3, vec![4]), (4, vec![5]), (5, vec![])];
         for (i, vec) in expected_children {
-            let store_children: BlockHashSet = store.get_children(i.into()).unwrap().iter().copied().collect();
+            let store_children: BlockHashSet = store.get_children(i.into()).unwrap().read().iter().copied().collect();
             let expected: BlockHashSet = vec.iter().copied().map(Hash::from).collect();
             assert_eq!(store_children, expected);
         }
diff --git a/consensus/src/processes/parents_builder.rs b/consensus/src/processes/parents_builder.rs
index 851770a8d9..49b3822d94 100644
--- a/consensus/src/processes/parents_builder.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/processes/parents_builder.rs
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ impl<T: HeaderStoreReader, U: ReachabilityStoreReader, V: RelationsStoreReader>
             .expect("at least one of the parents is expected to be in the future of the pruning point");
         direct_parent_headers.swap(0, first_parent_in_future_of_pruning_point);
 
-        let origin_children = self.relations_service.get_children(ORIGIN).unwrap();
+        let origin_children = self.relations_service.get_children(ORIGIN).unwrap().read().iter().copied().collect_vec();
         let origin_children_headers =
             origin_children.iter().copied().map(|parent| self.headers_store.get_header(parent).unwrap()).collect_vec();
 
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ mod tests {
         header::Header,
         BlockHashSet, HashMapCustomHasher,
     };
-    use kaspa_database::prelude::StoreError;
+    use kaspa_database::prelude::{ReadLock, StoreError, StoreResult};
     use kaspa_hashes::Hash;
     use parking_lot::RwLock;
 
@@ -262,8 +262,8 @@ mod tests {
             unimplemented!()
         }
 
-        fn get_children(&self, hash: Hash) -> Result<BlockHashes, StoreError> {
-            Ok(self.children.clone())
+        fn get_children(&self, hash: Hash) -> StoreResult<ReadLock<BlockHashSet>> {
+            Ok(BlockHashSet::from_iter(self.children.iter().copied()).into())
         }
 
         fn has(&self, hash: Hash) -> Result<bool, StoreError> {
diff --git a/consensus/src/processes/pruning_proof/mod.rs b/consensus/src/processes/pruning_proof/mod.rs
index 74bee081b7..174608da2d 100644
--- a/consensus/src/processes/pruning_proof/mod.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/processes/pruning_proof/mod.rs
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ impl PruningProofManager {
                 relations_stores[level].insert_batch(&mut batch, ORIGIN, BlockHashes::new(vec![])).unwrap();
                 ghostdag_stores[level].insert(ORIGIN, self.ghostdag_managers[level].origin_ghostdag_data()).unwrap();
             }
-            
+
             db.write(batch).unwrap();
         }
 
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ impl PruningProofManager {
                     }
 
                     headers.push(self.headers_store.get_header(current).unwrap());
-                    for child in self.relations_stores.read()[level].get_children(current).unwrap().iter().copied() {
+                    for child in self.relations_stores.read()[level].get_children(current).unwrap().read().iter().copied() {
                         queue.push(Reverse(SortableBlock::new(child, self.ghostdag_stores[level].get_blue_work(child).unwrap())));
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/consensus/src/processes/reachability/tests/mod.rs b/consensus/src/processes/reachability/tests/mod.rs
index 543c934e27..f9cf2ec0cb 100644
--- a/consensus/src/processes/reachability/tests/mod.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/processes/reachability/tests/mod.rs
@@ -150,10 +150,10 @@ pub fn validate_relations<S: RelationsStoreReader + ?Sized>(relations: &S) -> st
         let parents = relations.get_parents(current)?;
         assert_eq!(parents.len(), parents.iter().copied().unique_by(|&h| h).count(), "duplicate hashes in parents array");
         for parent in parents.iter().copied() {
-            let parent_children = relations.get_children(parent)?;
+            let parent_children = relations.get_children(parent)?.read().iter().copied().collect_vec();
             assert!(parent_children.contains(&current), "missing child entry");
         }
-        let children = relations.get_children(current)?;
+        let children = relations.get_children(current)?.read().iter().copied().collect_vec();
         assert_eq!(children.len(), children.iter().copied().unique_by(|&h| h).count(), "duplicate hashes in children array");
         for child in children.iter().copied() {
             if visited.insert(child) {
diff --git a/consensus/src/processes/relations.rs b/consensus/src/processes/relations.rs
index 4304306147..34a0e58c04 100644
--- a/consensus/src/processes/relations.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/processes/relations.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ where
     S: RelationsStore + ChildrenStore + ?Sized,
 {
     let children = relations.get_children(hash)?; // if the first entry was found, we expect all others as well, hence we unwrap below
-    for child in children.iter().copied() {
+    for child in children.read().iter().copied() {
         let child_parents = relations.get_parents(child).unwrap();
         // If the removed hash is the only parent of child, then replace it with `origin`
         let replace_with: &[Hash] = if child_parents.as_slice() == [hash] { &[ORIGIN] } else { &[] };
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ where
     let parents = relations.get_parents(hash).unwrap();
     let children = relations.get_children(hash).unwrap();
     let mergeset = unordered_mergeset_without_selected_parent(relations, reachability, selected_parent, &parents);
-    for child in children.iter().copied() {
+    for child in children.read().iter().copied() {
         let other_parents = relations.get_parents(child).unwrap().iter().copied().filter(|&p| p != hash).collect_vec();
         let needed_grandparents = parents
             .iter()
@@ -167,11 +167,20 @@ mod tests {
         relations.insert(2.into(), Arc::new(vec![1.into()])).unwrap();
 
         assert_eq!(relations.get_parents(ORIGIN).unwrap().as_slice(), []);
-        assert_eq!(relations.get_children(ORIGIN).unwrap().as_slice(), [1.into()]);
+        assert_eq!(
+            relations.get_children(ORIGIN).unwrap().read().iter().copied().collect::<BlockHashSet>(),
+            BlockHashSet::from_iter([1.into()])
+        );
         assert_eq!(relations.get_parents(1.into()).unwrap().as_slice(), [ORIGIN]);
-        assert_eq!(relations.get_children(1.into()).unwrap().as_slice(), [2.into()]);
+        assert_eq!(
+            relations.get_children(1.into()).unwrap().read().iter().copied().collect::<BlockHashSet>(),
+            BlockHashSet::from_iter([2.into()])
+        );
         assert_eq!(relations.get_parents(2.into()).unwrap().as_slice(), [1.into()]);
-        assert_eq!(relations.get_children(2.into()).unwrap().as_slice(), []);
+        assert_eq!(
+            relations.get_children(2.into()).unwrap().read().iter().copied().collect::<BlockHashSet>(),
+            BlockHashSet::from_iter([])
+        );
 
         let mut batch = WriteBatch::default();
         let mut staging_relations = StagingRelationsStore::new(&mut relations);
@@ -180,12 +189,18 @@ mod tests {
         db.write(batch).unwrap();
 
         assert_match!(relations.get_parents(1.into()), Err(StoreError::KeyNotFound(_)));
-        assert_match!(relations.get_children(1.into()), Err(StoreError::KeyNotFound(_)));
+        assert_match!(relations.get_children(1.into()).unwrap_err(), StoreError::KeyNotFound(_));
 
         assert_eq!(relations.get_parents(ORIGIN).unwrap().as_slice(), []);
-        assert_eq!(relations.get_children(ORIGIN).unwrap().as_slice(), [2.into()]);
+        assert_eq!(
+            relations.get_children(ORIGIN).unwrap().read().iter().copied().collect::<BlockHashSet>(),
+            BlockHashSet::from_iter([2.into()])
+        );
         assert_eq!(relations.get_parents(2.into()).unwrap().as_slice(), [ORIGIN]);
-        assert_eq!(relations.get_children(2.into()).unwrap().as_slice(), []);
+        assert_eq!(
+            relations.get_children(2.into()).unwrap().read().iter().copied().collect::<BlockHashSet>(),
+            BlockHashSet::from_iter([])
+        );
 
         let mut batch = WriteBatch::default();
         let mut staging_relations = StagingRelationsStore::new(&mut relations);
@@ -197,6 +212,9 @@ mod tests {
         assert_match!(relations.get_children(2.into()), Err(StoreError::KeyNotFound(_)));
 
         assert_eq!(relations.get_parents(ORIGIN).unwrap().as_slice(), []);
-        assert_eq!(relations.get_children(ORIGIN).unwrap().as_slice(), []);
+        assert_eq!(
+            relations.get_children(ORIGIN).unwrap().read().iter().copied().collect::<BlockHashSet>(),
+            BlockHashSet::from_iter([])
+        );
     }
 }
diff --git a/database/src/set_access.rs b/database/src/set_access.rs
index 9b106cda2f..52e587f4e4 100644
--- a/database/src/set_access.rs
+++ b/database/src/set_access.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use serde::{de::DeserializeOwned, Serialize};
 use std::{
     collections::{hash_map::RandomState, HashSet},
     error::Error,
+    fmt::Debug,
     hash::BuildHasher,
     sync::Arc,
 };
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ where
     prefix: Vec<u8>,
 }
 
+#[derive(Default)]
 pub struct ReadLock<T>(Arc<RwLock<T>>);
 
 impl<T> ReadLock<T> {
@@ -40,6 +42,24 @@ impl<T> ReadLock<T> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<T> From<T> for ReadLock<T> {
+    fn from(value: T) -> Self {
+        Self::new(Arc::new(RwLock::new(value)))
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T: Debug> Debug for ReadLock<T> {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        f.debug_tuple("ReadLock").field(&self.0).finish()
+    }
+}
+
+// impl<T: Default> Default for ReadLock<T> {
+//     fn default() -> Self {
+//         Self(Default::default())
+//     }
+// }
+
 impl<TKey, TData, S, W> CachedDbSetAccess<TKey, TData, S, W>
 where
     TKey: Clone + std::hash::Hash + Eq + Send + Sync + AsRef<[u8]>,
diff --git a/simpa/src/main.rs b/simpa/src/main.rs
index 8089dc7b25..4e7e16a0d1 100644
--- a/simpa/src/main.rs
+++ b/simpa/src/main.rs
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ fn topologically_ordered_hashes(src_consensus: &Consensus, genesis_hash: Hash) -
     let mut vec = Vec::new();
     let relations = src_consensus.relations_stores.read();
     while let Some(current) = queue.pop_front() {
-        for child in relations[0].get_children(current).unwrap().iter() {
+        for child in relations[0].get_children(current).unwrap().read().iter() {
             if visited.insert(*child) {
                 queue.push_back(*child);
                 vec.push(*child);