diff --git a/rest_framework/utils/serializer_helpers.py b/rest_framework/utils/serializer_helpers.py
index e6bd84f30e..94ac794424 100644
--- a/rest_framework/utils/serializer_helpers.py
+++ b/rest_framework/utils/serializer_helpers.py
@@ -130,7 +130,14 @@ def __iter__(self):
     def __getitem__(self, key):
         field = self.fields[key]
         value = self.value.get(key) if self.value else None
-        error = self.errors.get(key) if isinstance(self.errors, dict) else None
+
+        if isinstance(self.errors, dict):
+            error = self.errors.get(key)
+        elif isinstance(self.errors, list):
+            error = {}  # normalize list to empty dict for nested children
+        else:
+            error = None
+
         if hasattr(field, 'fields'):
             return NestedBoundField(field, value, error, prefix=self.name + '.')
         elif getattr(field, '_is_jsonfield', False):
diff --git a/tests/test_bound_fields.py b/tests/test_bound_fields.py
index eee7d9b852..7e76113d1d 100644
--- a/tests/test_bound_fields.py
+++ b/tests/test_bound_fields.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from django.http import QueryDict
 
 from rest_framework import serializers
+from rest_framework.exceptions import ValidationError
 
 
 class TestSimpleBoundField:
@@ -211,6 +212,29 @@ class ExampleSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
             rendered_packed = ''.join(rendered.split())
             assert rendered_packed == expected_packed
 
+    def test_child_bound_field_after_parent_validation_error(self):
+        class ChildSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
+            value = serializers.CharField()
+
+        class ParentSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
+            nested = ChildSerializer()
+
+            def validate_nested(self, nested):
+                # Raise parent-level (non-field) validation error
+                raise ValidationError(["parent-level nested error"])
+
+        serializer = ParentSerializer(data={"nested": {"value": "ignored"}})
+        assert not serializer.is_valid()
+
+        # Parent-level error is a list (current problematic case)
+        assert serializer.errors["nested"] == ["parent-level nested error"]
+        parent_bound = serializer["nested"]
+        child_bound = parent_bound["value"]
+        assert isinstance(child_bound.errors, dict)
+        assert child_bound.errors == {}
+        assert child_bound.value == "ignored"
+        assert child_bound.name == "nested.value"
+
 
 class TestJSONBoundField:
     def test_as_form_fields(self):