Research

Meet Our Research Lead

DR. Heather Chalmers

Dr. Heather Chalmers is an Associate Professor and Chair in the Department of Child and Youth Studies at Brock University. As a developmental psychologist, Dr. Chalmers is interested in at-risk youth and in particular, Young Caregivers. As an applied scientist, since 2004, Dr. Chalmers has been studying Young Caregivers and the impact this role has on their development. She has published extensively about young caregivers and has worked closely with the community agencies and has played an important role in the development and refinement of young caregiver community supports. Dr. Chalmers has partnered with Young Caregivers Association® since its inception regarding the development of evidence-based programs and related research.

‘An egalitarian politics of care: young female carers and the intersectional inequalities of gender, class and age'

Author(s): Basak Akkan
Publisher: Feminist Theory
Year Published: 2020

‘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

The emotional and mental health needs of young carers: What psychiatry can do

Author(s): Roswitha, Dharampal; Cornelius, Ani
Publisher: BJPsych Bulletin
Year Published: 2020

Resilience amongst young carers: Investigating protective factors and benefit-finding as perceived by young carers

Author(s): Gemma, Gough; Anthea, Gulliford
Publisher: Educational Psychology in Practice
Year Published: 2020

Research and Innovation for and with Adolescent Young Carers to Influence Policy and Practice—The European Union Funded “ME-WE” Project

Author(s): Hanson, Elizabeth; Barbabella, Francesco; Magnusson, Lennart; Brolin, Rosita; et al.
Publisher: Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Year Published: 2022

Young Carers Research, Practice and Policy: An Overview and Critical Perspective on Possible Future Directions

Author(s): Stephen, Joseph; Joe, Sempik; Agnes, Leu; Saul, Becker
Publisher: Adolescent Research Review Journal
Year Published: 2020

Young informal carers’ information needs communicated online: Professional and personal growth, finance, health and relationships

Author(s): Koya, Kushwanth; Chowdhury, Gobinda; Green, Emma
Publisher: Journal of Information Science
Year Published: 2022

Caring in mind? Professionals’ awareness of young carers and young adult carers in Switzerland

Author(s): Agnes, Leu; Hannah, Wepf; Joe, Sempik; Martin, Nagl-Cupal; et al.
Publisher: Health and Social Care in the Community
Year Published: 2020

The first cross-national study of adolescent young carers aged 15–17 in six European countries

Author(s): Lewis, Feylyn Mercedies; Becker, Saul; Parkhouse, Thomas; Joseph, Stephen; et al.
Publisher: International Journal of Care and Caring
Year Published: 2022

Psychosocial resources contributing to resilience in Austrian young carers- A study using photo novella

Author(s): Martin Matzka and Martin Nagl-Cupal
Publisher: Research in Nursing and Health
Year Published: 2020

An exploration of young carers’ experiences of school and their perceptions regarding their future career- a scoping review protocol

Author(s): Breda, Moloney; Thilo, Kroll; Attracta, Lafferty
Publisher: HRB Open Research
Year Published: 2020

No Young Carer Left Behind: A Two-Phased Study to Understand and Address the Needs of Young Carers from Rural and Urban Communities Before and During Covid-19

Author(s): Newman, Kristine; Chalmers, Heather; Berardini, Yana; Ze Yu Wang, Arthur; et al.
Publisher: Canadian Journal of Family and Youth
Year Published: 2022

Young carers' experiences of having a “buddy” on the Buddies for Children and Youngsters programme in Denmark – A qualitative interview study

Author(s): Nissen, Karina B.; Laursen, Sisse H.; Haslund-Thomsen, Helle
Publisher: Health & Social Care in the Community
Year Published: 2022

The health, well-being and future opportunities of young carers: a population approach

Author(s): O.M.E.F. Robison, G. Inglis, and J. Egan
Publisher: Public Health
Year Published: 2020

The Young Carers' Journey: A Systematic Review and Meta Ethnography

Author(s): Saragosa, Marianne; Frew, Melissa; Hahn- Goldberg, Shoshana; Orchanian-Cheff, Ani; et al.
Publisher: Environmental Research and Public Health
Year Published: 2022

Growing up with a Chronically Ill Family Member—The Impact on and Support Needs of Young Adult Carers: A Scoping Review

Author(s): Van der Werf, Hinke M; Luttik, Marie Louise A; de Boer, Alice; Roodbol, Petrie F; et al.
Publisher: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Year Published: 2022

Teachers’ Perceptions of Supporting Young Carers in Schools: Identifying Support Needs and the Importance of Home–School Relationships

Author(s): Warhurst, Amy; Bayless, Sarah; Maynard, Emma
Publisher: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Year Published: 2022

“It has been fun. Super-duper fantastic”: Findings from a Danish respite programme to support young carers

Author(s): Gitte Wind and Gitte K. Jorgensen
Publisher: Health and Social Care in the Community
Year Published: 2020

'Young adult carers: making choices and managing relationships with a parent with a mental illness'

Author(s): Kate Blake-Holmes
Publisher: Advances in Mental Health
Year Published: 2020

Young Carers and Parentification–Between Support and Responsibility: Involving the Child in the Functioning of the Family

Author(s): Chojnacka, Barbara; Iwański, Rafał
Publisher: Journal of Family Studies
Year Published: 2022

Young Adult Carers in the UK—New Evidence from the UK Household Longitudinal Study

Author(s): Di Gessa, Giorgio; Xue, Baowen; Lacey, Rebecca; McMunn, Anne
Publisher: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Year Published: 2022

Are Young Carers Less Engaged in School than Non-Carers? Evidence from a Representative Australian Study

Author(s): Myra, Hamilton; Gerry, Redmond
Publisher: Child Indicators Research
Year Published: 2020

Young Carer Perception of Control: Results of a Phenomenology with a Mixed Sample of Young Carers Accessing Support and Unknown to Services.

Author(s): Janes, Ed
Publisher: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Year Published: 2022

Oncology healthcare professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding young carers.

Author(s): Justin, Pauline; Dorard, Géraldine; Baudry, Valentine; Untas, Aurélie
Publisher: Patient Education and Counseling
Year Published: 2022

Young carers in Japan: Reliability and validity testing of the BBC/University of Nottingham young carers survey questionnaire and prevalence estimation in 5000 adolescents

Author(s): Kanehara, Akiko; Morishima, Ryo; Takahashi, Yusuke; Koike, Haruna; et al.
Publisher: Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience Reports
Year Published: 2022

The 2021 cross-national and comparative classification of in-country awareness and policy responses to 'young carers'

Author(s): Leu, Agnes; Berger, Fabian; Marc Pascal; Heino, Malla; et al.
Publisher: Journal of Youth Studies
Year Published: 2022

‘..It takes a lot of brain space’: Understanding young carers’ lives in England and the implications for policy and practice to reduce inappropriate and excessive care work

Author(s): Margaret Gowen, Sara; Sarojini Hart, Caroline; Sehmar, Permala; Wigfield, Andrea
Publisher: Children and Society
Year Published: 2022

“Our Unified Voice to Implement Change and Advance the View of Young Carers and Young Adult Carers.” An Appreciative Evaluation of the Impact of a National Young Carer Health Champions Programme

Author(s): Medforth, Nicholas
Publisher: Social Work in Public Health
Year Published: 2022

The prevalence of young carers – a standardised survey amongst school students (KiFam-study)

Author(s): Sabine, Metzing; Thomas, Ostermann; Sibylle, Robens; Michael, Galatsch
Publisher: Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences
Year Published: 2020

The awareness, visibility and support for young carers across Europe: a Delphi study

Author(s): Henk, Herman Nap; Renske, Hoefman; Nynke, de Jong; Lieke Lovink
Publisher: BMC Health Services Research
Year Published: 2020

Undergraduate students' experiences of participating in a Danish respite programme for young carers-A mixed methods study

Author(s): Nissen, Karina Brix; Laursen, Sisse Heiden; Udsen, Flemming Witt; Haslund-Thomsen, Helle
Publisher: The International Journal of Health Planning and Management
Year Published: 2022

Positive and Negative Impacts of Caring among Adolescents Caring for Grandparents. Results from an Online Survey in Six European Countries and Implications for Future Research, Policy and Practice

Author(s): Sara, Santini; Marco, Socci; Barbara, D’Amen; Mirko, Di Rosa; et al.
Publisher: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Year Published: 2020