‘‘It’s making his bad days into my bad days’: The impact of coronavirus social distancing measures on young carers and young adult carers in the United Kingdom.’

Author(s): Blake-Holmes, Kate; McGowan, Andy
Publisher: Child & Family Social Work
Year Published: 2021
Resource type: Peer Reviewed Research Article

Summary:

This article explores the implications of the coronavirus on the lives and well-being of young carers and young adult carers in England. Twenty young carers ages 12 to 22 years were recruited from young carer organizations for interviews. This study interviewed young carers, young adult carers, parents of young carers, and youth workers. In addition to interviews, the study received 149 survey responses from young carers aged 5 to 25, which explored care roles, mental health, education, employment, and aspirations, as they all had been affected by the pandemic. Findings suggest: young carers roles are complex and diverse; young carers’ care responsibilities increased throughout the pandemic, specifically due to school closures; and formal health and social care services and informal supports were withdrawn during COVID-19 which significantly impacted multiple areas in young carers lives, including their ability to navigate their own mental health. The study indicates that young carers and young adult carers ultimately felt that there is a lack of awareness of what it means to be a young carer, which was heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Citation: Blake-Holmes, K., & McGowan, A. (2022). “It”s making his bad days into my bad days’: The impact of coronavirus social distancing measures on young carers and young adult carers in the United Kingdom. Child & Family Social Work, 27(1), 22–29.
https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12877

Keywords: Coronavirus; policy; young adult carer; young carer

Where the data was collected: England