The young carer penalty: Exploring the costs of caregiving among a sample of Canadian youth

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

“…In other contexts, however, the rate of absenteeism may be much higher. Stamatopoulos (2018) in her study of Canadian young carers found a specific absenteeism rate of 10.8%. In another study, Sempik and Becker (2014a) found that 56% of young adult carers at college or university reported that they were experiencing difficulties with their studies because of their caring and some feared dropping out.…”

“…Additionally, unlike most paid employment, the hours and times that the young carers are required to work can be unpredictable leading to stress and anxiety. Hence, their ability to develop, and their opportunities for education and employment can be severely curtailed; a point also discussed by Stamatopoulos (2018) who discusses how the older carers in her study were more distressed because their grades and lack of extracurricular activities now directly affected their postsecondary applications. For professionals conducting such work as part of their paid employment they will have received training; be registered with and covered by various professional codes of conduct; able to draw on the support of their agency and organization in case of difficulties; have colleagues who can offer support; and have insurance to cover any mishaps for which they are deemed as responsible.…”

“…For example, Svanberg et al (2010) in their study of children caring for a parent with dementia also emphasised their resilience and that only few showed depressive symptoms. Indeed, much of the above research largely adopts a medicalised approach to understanding the impact of caring as if it were a pathogen that leads to illness, but studies have also shown that caring may be associated with increasing maturity (e.g., Fives et al 2013), can lead to positive changes (e.g., Joseph et al 2009a), closer relationships with parents and the feeling of being well prepared for life (e.g., Hunt et al 2005), and the ability to foster qualities of compassion and empathy (e.g., Stamatopoulos 2018). Finally, young carers may feel invisible and unacknowledged as caregivers (e.g., Bjorgvinsdottir and Halldorsdottir 2013).…”

“…Finally, young carers may feel invisible and unacknowledged as caregivers (e.g., Bjorgvinsdottir and Halldorsdottir 2013). Stamatopoulos (2018) in her qualitative focus group study with young carers from both the Greater Toronto area and the Niagara Region of Southern Ontario referred to the "young carer penalty", to describe how young people who care are disadvantaged, and restricted in their opportunities; those from single-parent and single-child families, and dealing with more stigmatised and debilitating problems had the highest penalty. Other qualitative research has interviewed professionals about their perspective on young carers, emphasizing that they are seen as an invisible, hidden, and vulnerable workforce, that is isolated, stigmatized, suffering from restrictions in education, leisure, and employment (Gray et al 2008).…”

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

“…Specifically, participants from single-parent and single-child families generally incurred a greater 'penalty', as did those providing care in the context of more stigmatised illnesses such as mental illness and substance abuse, and/or more debilitating physical illness or disability. 38 In their study on the variation of caregiver health and mortality risk by age, Tseliou et al proposed a number of reasons that caregiving may be deleterious to the health and well-being of young carers. 39 Providing care could have interfered with schooling and the formation of healthy social networks, thereby creating issues with other aspects of social and emotional development and leading to a problematic transition to adulthood.…”