tag:theconversation.com,2011:/africa/topics/child-carers-43336/articlesChild carers – The Conversation2019-08-08T20:06:06Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1179002019-08-08T20:06:06Z2019-08-08T20:06:06ZOne in 10 Aussie kids care for someone with a disability or drug dependence – they need help at school<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287288/original/file-20190808-144873-9kytxy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Thousands of children and young people provide substantial unpaid care to a family member with a disability, chronic or mental illness, dependence on alcohol or other drugs, or frailty due to old age. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/NcWNzEAD7Fs">Jesús Rodríguez/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Children who care for a family member with a disability, mental illness or dependence on alcohol or other drugs are less likely to complete, or do well in, secondary school compared with young people without caring responsibilities.</p>
<p>Our study, published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12187-019-09647-1">Child Indicators Research</a>, compared the levels of school engagement among children who identified as carers with children who didn’t shoulder such responsibilities. </p>
<p>We measured levels of school engagement by asking how often children felt positive emotions, such as being happy and safe, towards school.</p>
<p>In a national school-based survey of 5,220 Australian children aged 8-14, more than 450 respondents (9% of the sample) indicated they were looking after a family member with a disability or another serious health issue. </p>
<p>More than half of these young carers had responsibilities for a family member with a mental illness or dependence on alcohol or other drugs. </p>
<p>Overall, we found children who cared for a person with a mental illness or one using alcohol or other drugs had significantly lower engagement at school than children without caring responsibilities. </p>
<p>Studies show children who are more engaged at school are <a href="https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/91225/j.1467-8624.2012.01745.x.pdf?%5Blink%20text%5D(https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0%7E2016%7EMain%20Features%7EYoung%20Carers%7E143)%20sequence=1&isAllowed=y">more likely to stay in school</a> longer, with better outcomes for employment and earnings. </p>
<p>The challenges facing young carers will continue without improved support in schools and broader policy and community services, as well as personalised intervention programs.</p>
<h2>Who are young carers?</h2>
<p>Young carers are children and young people who provide substantial unpaid care to a family member with a disability, chronic or mental illness, dependence on alcohol or other drugs, or frailty due to old age. </p>
<p>The people <a href="https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/SPRCFile/1_Young_Carers_Report_Final_2011.pdf">they care for include</a> parents, siblings, grandparents, extended family or friends. Most young people take care of a parent or sibling. </p>
<p>About <a href="https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/disability-and-carers/publications-articles/young-carers-research-project-final-report?HTML">5-10%</a> of <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0%7E2016%7EMain%20Features%7EYoung%20Carers%7E143">Australian young people</a> aged under 26 (that’s between about 150,000 and 300,000) are carers. There is <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/publications/young-carers">some suggestion</a> the figure could be even higher.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-how-much-it-would-cost-the-government-to-pay-everyone-who-takes-care-of-family-with-mental-illness-74760">Here's how much it would cost the government to pay everyone who takes care of family with mental illness</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>They help their family members with a range of activities beyond those typical of a person that age. </p>
<p>This includes helping with personal care such as showering and going to the toilet, administering medication, liaising with doctors and services, overseeing household administration and finances or providing emotional support.</p>
<p>Previous research has shown young carers’ responsibilities negatively affect their educational outcomes. For instance, young carers are more than one <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/publications/young-carers">year behind</a> their peers in literacy and numeracy. </p>
<p>They are also <a href="https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/SPRCFile/1_Young_Carers_Report_Final_2011.pdf">less likely</a> to complete secondary school and <a href="http://australianchildwellbeing.com.au/sites/default/files/uploads/ACWP_Final_Report_2016_Full.pdf">aspire to university</a> after leaving school.</p>
<h2>Why are young carers less engaged in school?</h2>
<p>We compared the levels of young carers’ school engagement with those of their peers without care responsibilities. </p>
<p>We measured emotional engagement in school by asking young people whether they felt happy and safe at school, and whether they enjoyed going to school and learning. We also measured their behavioural engagement by asking about how often they did homework. </p>
<p>Young carers of a person with a mental illness or drug or alcohol dependence were significantly less likely than young people who were not carers to report feeling happy and safe at school and enjoying school. They were also significantly less likely to do homework daily compared with students who weren’t carers.</p>
<p>Our results showed little difference in the school engagement of young people who took care of a person with a physical or intellectual disability compared with young people who were not carers. But <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13676261.2012.710743?needAccess=true">previous research</a> suggests this group of young carers also faces considerable challenges at school.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287318/original/file-20190808-144843-1l3qj2w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287318/original/file-20190808-144843-1l3qj2w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287318/original/file-20190808-144843-1l3qj2w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287318/original/file-20190808-144843-1l3qj2w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287318/original/file-20190808-144843-1l3qj2w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287318/original/file-20190808-144843-1l3qj2w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287318/original/file-20190808-144843-1l3qj2w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287318/original/file-20190808-144843-1l3qj2w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many young people who care for a family member with mental illness or drug addiction keep it a secret.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Past research shows the responsibilities of a young person caring for someone with a mental illness or alcohol or drug dependence are <a href="https://professionals.carers.org/sites/default/files/media/mycare-report-final-5492.pdf">often unpredictable</a>. They manage crises, as well as monitoring the person’s well-being and medication use, which may heighten young carers’ levels of worry while at school. </p>
<p>Research also suggests many young carers of a person with a mental illness or drug or alcohol dependence keep their <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1475-3588.2007.00477.x">caring responsibilities a secret</a> from their peers and school professionals. This is often to protect themselves and their families from bullying and for fear of intervention by child protection services. </p>
<p>The strain of concealment is likely to affect the carers’ own mental health and create a barrier to them <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/7/1/e013946.full.pdf">seeking support</a>. This may, in turn, affect the quality of their school experience.</p>
<p>We also found poor engagement in school of young carers of a person with a mental illness or using alcohol or other drugs was amplified by other indicators of marginalisation. These included whether the young carer themselves had a disability, was from a lower socioeconomic background or identified as Indigenous. </p>
<p>This suggests even stronger barriers to school engagement among young carers who experience multiple forms of marginalisation.</p>
<h2>How can we help young carers?</h2>
<p>Carer organisations and governments provide resources to schools, such as <a href="https://www.youngcarersnsw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/YC-School-Booklet-Primary.pdf">teacher toolkits</a>, that raise awareness about young carers’ needs among staff and students and support their continued education. </p>
<p>The federal government has also announced <a href="https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/04_2019/pbs-fact-sheet-carer-support-serviceslfexzjs.pdf">new packages</a> – available from later in 2019 – to support carers with education and employment. But only about 5,000 packages will be provided and only a small share of these will be earmarked for young carers. </p>
<p>Likewise, a <a href="https://www.paulfletcher.com.au/media-releases/joint-media-release-morrison-government-supporting-australias-young-carers">Young Carer Bursary</a> of A$3,000 was introduced in 2014 to support young carers to attend school – but only 1,000 of these are available in 2019.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/looking-after-loved-ones-with-mental-illness-puts-carers-at-risk-themselves-they-need-more-support-116349">Looking after loved ones with mental illness puts carers at risk themselves. They need more support</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>While current policies may be making a positive difference for some carers, the results in this study show there are more young carers than support services available for them. </p>
<p>More needs to be done for the large number of young carers who are not as engaged in school as their peers. This includes high-quality, affordable and accessible services for their family members requiring care. </p>
<p>A personalised approach that includes the entire family and greater awareness and understanding among teachers and students of mental illness and drug or alcohol use could help make the school environment more welcoming for young carers.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/117900/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Myra Hamilton receives funding from the Australian Research Council and periodically from state and federal government departments in portfolios that provide services for carers. She is an academic member of the Carers NSW Carer Respite Alliance. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gerry Redmond receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>A study has found children between the ages of 8 and 14 who take care of a family member with a drug addiction or mental illness aren’t very happy at, and don’t feel all that safe, at school.Myra Hamilton, Senior Research Fellow in Social Policy, UNSW SydneyGerry Redmond, Professor, College of Business, Government & Law, Flinders UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1085562018-12-21T13:23:14Z2018-12-21T13:23:14ZChristmas can be isolating for young carers – they need time to be children<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/249737/original/file-20181210-76956-19onzwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C10%2C1000%2C639&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">DGLimages/Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Most children look forward to the Christmas holidays as a time for fun and families. But for some young carers – children who provide care for someone in their family who is ill or disabled – the Christmas holidays are a mixed blessing.</p>
<p>Dani* is one such young carer who I worked with as part of recent <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/582575/Lives_of_young_carers_in_England_Omnibus_research_report.pdf">research</a>. She is 14 and cares for her mum who has Multiple Sclerosis and depression. Dani does most of the cooking and cleaning in the house as well as shopping and managing the family finances.</p>
<p>She also spends time with her mum trying to keep her spirits up and making sure she takes her medication. This means Dani has little, if any, time for socialising. Her mother’s condition also means Dani is sometimes too worried about leaving her mum at home alone to go out with friends, even though her mum would like her to. </p>
<p>Christmas is going to be both good and bad for Dani and her mum. It means Dani spends time with her mum at home and doesn’t have to worry about her as much because they are together. But it also means she has to do a lot more around the house when her mum is too ill to do it, such as cooking, wrapping presents and making sure Christmas is a happy time for them both. </p>
<h2>Unrecognised support</h2>
<p>For children like Dani, the Christmas holidays can be an emotional time and bring extra challenges. It’s particularly hard if they are having to provide care unrecognised and unsupported, when other family members or friends are not able or available to help, or support services are missing.</p>
<p>This can make caring a lonely and isolating experience for some children. Many of them also have to provide the sort of care we would normally associate with an adult – toileting and bathing a loved one, administering medication, cooking and cleaning, as well as having to look after younger siblings.</p>
<p>Some children also help care for a parent, or other relative, who has mental health problems, or substance misuse issues, or both mental and physical health conditions. A <a href="https://www.jkp.com/uk/can-i-tell-you-about-being-a-young-carer-2.html/">new children’s book</a> I wrote aims to explain what it’s like being a young carer.</p>
<p>Estimates of the number of children across the UK who provide informal care in families range from <a href="http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census-%20analysis/provision-of-unpaid-care-in-england-and-wales--2011/sty-unpaid-care.html">166,000</a> to <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11757907">700,000</a>. The discrepancy in the figures is because definitions used by researchers to describe young carers lack consistency and different methods are used to identify and investigate their experiences. </p>
<p>But it’s also because some children are <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/498115/DFE-RR499_The_lives_of_young_carers_in_England.pdf">wary of disclosing</a> the fact that they are caring for a family member for fear of interventions by health or social services that may lead to family separations. This means that some children are caring unrecognised, unsupported and often with very little knowledge or understanding about the condition, and prognosis, of the person they are caring for. </p>
<h2>Getting help early</h2>
<p>For some young carers, the amount of care they provide at home can <a href="https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/tcs/report_hidden-from-view_young-carers_final.pdf">seriously affect their education</a>, their social and family lives, and their chances of a happy future that is free from caring. For others, caring can be a <a href="http://www.ycrg.org.uk/youngCarersDownload/Young_Carers_and_Parental_Mental_Illness.pdf">rewarding experience</a>, but this is more likely to be the case when they and their families are supported by consistent and good quality health and social care services.</p>
<p>Ten years of austerity <a href="https://www.bma.org.uk/collective-voice/policy-and-research/public-and-population-health/child-health/cutting-away-at-our-childrens-future">have eroded</a> both the availability and quality of those services. In these cases, it’s children and families that suffer the most. A <a href="https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/tcs/cuts_to_support_young_carers_4__3_.pdf">briefing</a> from the Children’s Society charity suggests that the introduction of Universal Credit and the abolition of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/oct/31/universal-credit-pushing-disabled-people-into-poverty">severe disability premium</a> will put more pressure on children to take on extra caring responsibilities at home.</p>
<p>Evidence shows that children who provide care unrecognised and unsupported are <a href="http://www.ycrg.org.uk/youngCarersDownload/MCF_Full_Report_2.pdf">more likely to experience</a> low self-esteem, as well as poor education outcomes and difficult transitions in adulthood. Early interventions are needed that identify young caring before it becomes just a regular part of child’s everyday life. </p>
<p>Providing support to the <a href="https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/whole-family-pathway-2018.pdf">whole family</a> is key to ensuring children do not provide inappropriate levels of care that have a detrimental impact on their lives and the life of the person they’re caring for. Thanks to the 2014 Care Act, young carers now have a right to an assessment of their needs alongside the person they are caring for. Yet, a study by the Children’s Commission in 2016 found that <a href="https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/2016/12/27/an-estimated-four-out-of-five-young-carers-receive-no-support/">four out of five young carers</a> still receive no support. </p>
<p>Young carers like Dani need recognition and support, and they need this both for themselves and for the person they care for. They also need opportunities just to be children, to have fun and enjoy being with their families. At no time is this more true than at Christmas.</p>
<p><em>* Names have been changed to protect anonymity.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/108556/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jo Aldridge receives funding from the Department for Education; the Economic and Social Research Council</span></em></p>Thousands of young carers are supporting family members unrecognised and wary of asking for help.Jo Aldridge, Professor of Social Policy and Criminology, Loughborough UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1003292018-07-25T20:09:51Z2018-07-25T20:09:51ZChildcare shake-up neglects family day care workers, but we can learn from garment workers’ experience<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/229194/original/file-20180725-194124-1bjlv4t.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Family day care workers provide this essential service from their homes, but being classed as independent contractors means they lack many employment protections.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.afimsc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1212996/lukes-cdc-wins-best-in-air-force/">AFIMSC</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The federal government has <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-childcare-revolution-is-set-to-change-the-way-we-live-20180628-p4zofh.html">rolled out</a> new <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/ChildCarePackage">Child Care Subsidy</a> arrangements based on parents’ earnings. Recent policy changes emphasise the need for quality childcare. To this end, policy has promoted minimum educational qualifications for childcare workers and increased reliance on market principles. </p>
<p>Often forgotten in the middle of all these changes are the childcare workers themselves, known as “educators”. In particular, <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/child-care-provider-handbook/types-eligible-child-care-services">family day care</a> educators have been conspicuously absent in discussions. </p>
<p>Historically, these workers have been at the bottom of the <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/child-care-provider-handbook/types-eligible-child-care-services">early childhood education and care work hierarchy</a>. They have been the least visible, most isolated, and lowest paid. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/low-paid-womens-work-why-early-childhood-educators-are-walking-out-91402">Low-paid 'women's work': why early childhood educators are walking out</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>With even federal education minister Simon Birmingham <a href="https://www.afr.com/news/economy/employment/government-targets-pricegouging-by-childcare-providers-20180629-h121t9">encouraging families to shop around</a> for cheap childcare, many of these workers end up having to cut their rates to attract families.</p>
<p>Family day care workers have much in common with home-based workers in the garment industry. Migrant women are overrepresented in both types of work. The employment is uncertain and their work conditions are often poor.</p>
<p>However, <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/UBe9b7td8bF9RpcayMBM/full">our research</a> shows that garment workers have benefited from better regulation and representation, and this would help family day care workers too. </p>
<h2>Who provides family day care, and how are they regulated?</h2>
<p>Family day care is different from other forms of early childhood education and care. The workers are home-based and are not employees. Under federal law, they are considered independent contractors. According to the peak body <a href="https://www.familydaycare.com.au/fdc">Family Day Care Australia</a>, there are more than 22,000 of these workers.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-definition-of-worker-could-protect-many-from-exploitation-91083">A new definition of 'worker' could protect many from exploitation</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Most of these workers are women. The work allows them to contribute financially to their household, while still being able to care for their own family. They operate as small businesses, independently contracted to a family day care coordination unit. </p>
<p>However, the usual association of self-employment with independence and entrepreneurship does not hold in this case. The business cannot be expanded, sold, or operated independently of the scheme. </p>
<p>These educators work long hours and are unable to control or limit them. With the marketisation drive, many have had to cut rates to be competitive. </p>
<p>Any changes in their operation are highly regulated. Workers spend a lot of time completing paperwork for compliance. </p>
<p>Family day care also attracts a lot of migrant women. A 2013 <a href="http://www.scseec.edu.au/site/DefaultSite/filesystem/documents/Reports%20and%20publications/Publications/ACECQA%20Research%20Report%20on%20the%20NQF%20and%20Regulatory%20Burden%20-%20Combined.pdf">ACECQA report</a> indicated that nearly two in five (38%) of these workers speak a language other than English at home. </p>
<p>Most of the women migrants arrive on a <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/supporting/Pages/403/dependent-family-members.aspx">dependant visa</a>. It’s difficult for them to find other jobs due to <a href="https://theconversation.com/refugees-need-support-to-continue-their-careers-heres-how-it-can-be-done-76151">lack of recognition of qualifications and experience</a> from their home countries, lack of local experience, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/skin-deep-should-australia-consider-name-blind-resumes-55503">discrimination in the labour market</a>. They also lack social support in their new country. </p>
<p>Entry into the childcare sector is relatively easy. Childcare is widely considered to come “naturally” to women. Therefore, many women are pushed into this work, and family day care in particular, so that they can also look after their own children. In fact, <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/education-workforce-early-childhood/report/early-childhood-report.pdf">government policy</a> frames family day care as an important career pathway for migrant women. </p>
<p>However, in reality, these women experience isolation due to long hours, inflexible schedules, and the compliance workload. </p>
<p>In most cases, all these activities are undertaken at low pay. In 2014, the government announced <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/parents-warned-budget-cuts-will-put-family-day-care-in-danger-20140518-38hz4.html">cuts to the Community Support Program</a>. Under this program, well-established day care centres supported family day care operators. These <a href="http://fdcsupport.org.au/wp-content/uploads/changes_to_the_community_support_programme_for_family_day_care_service_operators_in_hands_template.pdf">cuts, along with strict eligibility conditions</a>, have <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/east/federal-government-cuts-250000-subsidy-to-monash-family-day-care/news-story/4392fa2beb3ad947d93d5dacd69f9679">increased the uncertainty</a> for family day care workers. </p>
<p>Many now have to find a new scheme with which to associate for referrals. In some cases these are not local, with the result that educators are left to find new clients on their own. </p>
<p>For migrant educators, this can be difficult. They do not have the network. They also often <a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/race-discrimination/publications/fact-sheet-racism-it-stops-me-community-service">face racial discrimination</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/skin-deep-should-australia-consider-name-blind-resumes-55503">Skin deep: should Australia consider name-blind resumes?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How does this compare to garment workers?</h2>
<p>Despite the many common features of family day care educators and home-based workers in the garment industry, <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/UBe9b7td8bF9RpcayMBM/full">our research</a> has shown the regulation of their work is very different. </p>
<p>Because of advocacy by the unions (TCFUA and FairWear) for garment homeworkers, they are deemed to be employees under federal law. This gives them legislative protections under the Fair Work Act 2009, including the right to a minimum wage, long service leave, and superannuation. They are also protected from unfair dismissal. </p>
<p>On the other hand, the concerns of all early childcare workers are assumed to represent family day care workers’ concerns. Unlike garment homeworkers, family day care workers have failed to secure recognition as employees. This has limited their capacity to organise collectively and develop bargaining strategies through a union advocate. </p>
<p>In the case of garment homeworkers, advocacy focused on the workers. However, advocacy around childcare has focused mainly on the needs of working parents and access to affordable childcare, rather than on the pay and conditions of the workers. Family day care homeworkers have been left at the mercy of market forces.</p>
<p>Childcare policy in Australia has focused on human capital – present and future. It has sought to help new mothers to return to work and provide the next generation with a strong foundation. </p>
<p>It is time to recognise the essential role of family day care workers in providing this foundation. Their voice and the advocates working to improve their protection need to be heard.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/childcare-may-be-expensive-but-its-worth-it-in-the-long-run-28551">Childcare may be expensive, but it's worth it in the long run</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/100329/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Family day care workers have much in common with home-based workers in the garment industry. But the latter are classed as employees, resulting in better representation and protected work conditions.Vidhula Venugopal, Postdoctoral Fellow in Entrepreneurship & Innovation, RMIT UniversityAnnie Delaney, Senior lecturer, RMIT UniversityYee-Fui Ng, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/839472017-09-15T13:11:55Z2017-09-15T13:11:55ZNo future: young carers are sacrificing ambitions to look after loved ones<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/186201/original/file-20170915-29578-1n67c1x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">shutterstock</span> </figcaption></figure><p>There are around <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11757907">700,000 young carers</a> across the UK looking after a parent or a family member. In Glasgow, these young people make up around 12% of children aged 11-18, and now a <a href="http://www.gcph.co.uk/assets/0000/6144/Young_carers_school_survey_report.pdf">new study</a> has found that their duties and responsibilities are preventing around half of them from going on to university or college after school.</p>
<p>According to a 2014 NHS <a href="http://www.gcph.co.uk/publications/721_young_carers_in_glasgow_health_wellbeing_and_future_expectations">survey</a> of 11,000 pupils across the city, one in eight secondary school-age pupils in Glasgow is providing care for someone at home. Not only do these pupils care for someone with a disability, long-term illness, mental health or substance issue, they also have poorer outcomes for their own health and future expectations.</p>
<p>Our new study for the <a href="http://www.gcph.co.uk/">Glasgow Centre for Population Health</a> (GCPH) found that when asked what they thought they would do once they had left school, young carers were almost 50% less likely to say that they thought they would go on to university or college when compared with pupils who had no caring duties.</p>
<p>The type of care given by young carers can vary considerably, from doing household chores to physical assistance, such as moving or lifting, to more intimate care, such as washing, dressing and help with going to the toilet, and providing emotional support.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/186202/original/file-20170915-8121-nowgg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/186202/original/file-20170915-8121-nowgg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186202/original/file-20170915-8121-nowgg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186202/original/file-20170915-8121-nowgg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186202/original/file-20170915-8121-nowgg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186202/original/file-20170915-8121-nowgg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186202/original/file-20170915-8121-nowgg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Around 12% of 11 to 18-year-olds in Glasgow are caring for a family member.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/disability-disabled-child-wheelchair-being-looked-678871807">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Low expectations</h2>
<p>That carers – and young carers generally – are more likely to be found in deprived areas and in low-income families shows how caring has become associated with, and compounded by, other forms of disadvantage. <a href="http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0051/00514848.pdf">Data</a> from the 2011 Census shows the prevalence of caring in Scotland to be higher in West Central Scotland, the area with the largest concentration of deprivation. Glasgow also has higher than average levels of <a href="http://www.understandingglasgow.com/indicators/health/trends/disability_trends_scottish_cities/overview">long-term sick or disabled adults</a>, problem <a href="https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Drugs-and-Alcohol-Misuse/Publications/2014-10-28/2014-10-28-Drug-Prevalence-Report.pdf">drug use</a>, and <a href="http://www.gcph.co.uk/publications/492_findings_series_42-alcohol-related_harm_in_glasgow">alcohol-related deaths</a>. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.lboro.ac.uk/microsites/socialsciences/ycrg/youngCarersDownload/YCReport2004%5B1%5D.pdf">Previous research</a> has found that young people in lone-parent families are also more likely to become young carers, and with <a href="http://www.gcph.co.uk/publications/535_bp_46_barriers_and_opportunities_facing_lone_parents_moving_into_paid_work">40%</a> of households with dependent children in Glasgow headed by a single parent, it is perhaps unsurprising that the numbers are so high. </p>
<p>As well as facing economic disadvantage, our study also found that carers had poorer physical and mental health. The association with mental health and emotional and behavioural difficulties was especially strong for the quarter of young carers looking after someone with a mental health problem, and the 10% caring for someone with a drug or alcohol problem. </p>
<h2>The hidden carers</h2>
<p>The attainment gap between richer and poorer students has long been recognised, and strategies such as the <a href="http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/Schools/Raisingeducationalattainment">Scottish Attainment Challenge</a> from the Scottish government aim to make a difference by channelling more money into schools.</p>
<p>But low attainment isn’t just about poverty – it’s also about young people not having the confidence, opportunities or the freedom to choose and shape their future. Young carers can be bound geographically, physically and in terms of their time, all of which have an impact on what they think they can do when they leave school.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ycrg.org.uk/youngCarersDownload/Children%20who%20care.pdf">Previous research</a> has found that not only do young carers tend to have poorer educational achievements, but employment and education decisions are made within the context and constraints of their caring role, often limiting their options and stunting their ambitions.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/186203/original/file-20170915-8065-v2pivl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/186203/original/file-20170915-8065-v2pivl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186203/original/file-20170915-8065-v2pivl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186203/original/file-20170915-8065-v2pivl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186203/original/file-20170915-8065-v2pivl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=564&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186203/original/file-20170915-8065-v2pivl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=564&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186203/original/file-20170915-8065-v2pivl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=564&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">For many young carers, responsibilities at home mean they can’t see themselves going on to further education.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/boy-doing-dishes-11557471">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>These young carers are not just experiencing multiple disadvantages, a third of them are also, our study found, struggling along without anyone outside the family knowing about their caring role. This may go some way to explaining the higher prevalence found in our study – 12% – which was higher than <a href="http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0051/00514848.pdf">previous estimates</a>. </p>
<p>The discrepancy between the high prevalence found in our report and the <a href="http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0051/00514848.pdf">lower official figures</a> could be down to many reasons. Some of those defined as young carers don’t actually realise that they are providing care, and many do not know that there is support available. Others may choose to conceal their carer status due to fears around the stigma of caring, and others may be afraid of outside intervention if anyone discovers their role at home. </p>
<p>The type of care that they are providing can also have an impact on the number of hidden carers. Those with family members with more stigmatised conditions such as mental health or substance issues may fear the consequences if their status is revealed. </p>
<h2>Rights of the child?</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.unicef.org.uk/what-we-do/un-convention-child-rights/">United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child</a> (UNCRC) outlines some general rights for children, such as every child has the right to a happy life and develop to the maximum extent possible, as well as recognising that they need guidance and space to be young people and to learn, play and enjoy positive futures. Our findings suggest that being a young carer can impact negatively on these rights.</p>
<p>The introduction of the <a href="http://www.gov.scot/Topics/archive/CarersBill">Carers (Scotland) Act</a> (2016) means that by April 2018, local authorities and health boards will have a duty to provide Young Carer “statements”, which will identify support needs and personal goals and development. This will be an important opportunity to ensure that all young carers are supported enough to have the chance to realise their full potential.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/83947/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Oonagh Robison has previously received PhD studentship funding from the Medical Research Council and Chief Scientist Office. </span></em></p>Children looking after a family member are making decisions about their future in the context of their role, often limiting their options and stunting their ambitionsOonagh Robison, Public Health Research Specialist, Glasgow Centre for Population Health, University of GlasgowLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.