1.7: Culture & Language Barriers

Culture, language, family values and experiences with service systems can all shape how caregiving is understood and talked about within a family. There is no single cultural experience of caregiving. The goal is not to make assumptions based on someone’s background, but to recognize that the language and concepts we use may not always reflect how a family understands its own experience.

Language May Not Translate

The word caregiver may not have a direct equivalent in every language, or a family may use different words to describe the support family members provide to one another. This can make asking “Are you a young caregiver?” less meaningful than asking about what the young person actually does within their family. For example, a young person might regularly translate at appointments, help a family member understand information, manage household tasks or support a sibling, without anyone in the family describing those responsibilities as caregiving.

Caregiving May Be Understood Differently

In some families and communities, supporting parents, grandparents, siblings or other family members may be understood simply as part of family life and responsibility, rather than as a separate caregiving role. Multigenerational caregiving, for example, may be a normal and expected part of family life. A young person may therefore be providing significant care without themselves or their family viewing those responsibilities as unusual or identifying with the term young caregiver.

Families May Be Cautious About Sharing

Families may also have different experiences with or levels of familiarity with community organizations and service systems.

For example:

  • They may be unfamiliar with available supports. Newcomer families may not know what services are available, what an intervention means or what could happen after information is shared.
  • Stigma can influence what families feel comfortable discussing. A health condition, disability, mental health concern or substance use may not always be openly discussed. For example, an autism diagnosis may go unnamed within a family because of stigma or fear of judgment.
  • They may worry about what could happen if they share. Families may be concerned that discussing a child’s caregiving responsibilities could lead to judgment or involvement from child protection services.

These concerns can make it more difficult for young caregivers and their families to talk openly about what is happening at home.

★ Powerhouse® Tip: Start with the experience, not the label. Instead of leading with “Are you a young caregiver?”, describe what caregiving can look like:

“Some young people help family members with things like appointments, medications, translating, household tasks, supporting siblings or providing emotional support. Does any of that sound familiar in your family?”

The goal is to understand the family’s context and experience without making assumptions about how they define caregiving.

Next, we’ll look at the systemic and legislative barriers that can also contribute to young caregivers remaining unseen or unsupported.