Young carer

Nurturing children and young people a few years ago moved into the center of attention - as a special group of family carers are - first in England. One speaks of young carers, because it is not adults, but minors.

Definition

With " nurturing children and youth " are defined as persons who have not attained the age of 18 years and regularly provide one or more members who help them and maintain them. These children carry a specific responsibility that is not socially provided for them and make them different from other children.

England

In England - the country of origin of the Young carers research - it was found in several large-scale studies that children provide nursing a considerable extent all or part of their chronically ill or disabled family members (parents, siblings, grandparents ). The youngest of the young carers are not older than three years, the older had been maintained over the years the ill family member, supplied the siblings, took over the household, thereby maintaining the system of family responsibility.

The prevalence is reported in England at 1.5%. This means that 1.5 % of all children living in England under 18 are nurturing children. This corresponds to a number of 175,000 children.

Germany

In Germany Sabine Metzing the first to examine the role of children as caregivers. An accurate number of nurturing children in Germany there are not (currently). If one transfers, however, the prevalence of England (1.5%), it is estimated that 225,000 children are nurturing children in Germany.

Austria

In Austria the situation nurturing children was examined more closely in 2012 because of a parliamentary resolution. The Institute of Nursing Science, University of Vienna where it first from a large random sample of schools prevalence data on nurturing children. In the sample of 10-14 year-old children were able to be identified as nurturing children 4.5%. Extrapolated to the age group of 5-18 year olds and to the entire federal territory, this gives a share of caring children and young people in the total group of 3.5 %, or 42,700 person concerned. These figures exceed previous estimates of 22,500 based on the UK census (2001) and clearly suggests that international numbers are undervalued.

Phenomenon: "The family hold together "

A chronic disease within the family changed the family life and influences all family members. Mainly takes the severity of disease and the need for care impact on the transformation of everyday life. In addition, the number of family members ( one- two-parent families, single child, siblings, grandparents ) and the available financial resources of significance. Do many limiting factors together, the disease dominates the family's life and becomes a threat. Children are afraid of their parents and are afraid of being ripped apart as a family. Children are trying to maintain everyday life. They take active responsibility and pursue two strategies to keep her family together.

Strategy, " fill the gap " and be in readiness ' "

Children fill in the gaps that are torn by the failure of the ill parent, and are in constant readiness to respond promptly to changes, threats or symptoms of the disease. They help with or are solely responsible act. You do, do what adult caregivers, too, and are active in all areas of care and financial management.

• Assistance for the family as a community are mainly domestic work, which can not be carried out by the ill person, cook, for example, washing, cleaning, tidying, shopping, taking out the garbage, keep the garden in order, etc.

• Body- related: precipitations, mobilization and transfer, dressing and undressing, personal hygiene, food intake
• Emotionally be there to take care of, comfort, provide variety, show understanding, considerate
• Medical / therapeutic: medication regime, wound care, physical therapy
• To be vigilant for providing security remain: watch / protect
• Translations: in speech disorder in foreign languages
• In case of emergency: are carried out activities from all previously mentioned categories.

• Acquisition of elternlicher care: care of little brothers and sisters, Preparing Food, lubricate break bread, bring to kindergarten or to school and pick up, bring homework help, go to bed, wake up, dressing, brushing teeth, etc.
• Aids for healthy parents: give comfort, to be there, relief by taking over jobs, etc.

Aids for yourself can be: even go to bed and even buy clothes, prepare yourself something to eat, etc.

Strategy " not talk about it "

Hardly a child talks about the domestic situation. This silence is justified by the children with " shame" and "Caution ". They say that other kids "eh do not know what it is " because they do not know a life with the disease.

• Shame: Children wish for normality. You do not want to be "different " and are afraid to be by peers " stamped " and excluded.
• Caution: Nothing means more danger than that her family could be torn apart for children. The silence is therefore also in the fear justified that outsiders instances (eg youth or clerk's office ) could assess the familial situation as " untenable " and separate the family members " for their own good ".

The strategy of " do not talk about " Among other effects that affected families live in hiding, and their situations and needs were not known so far.

Effects

To be a " caring child," has both positive and negative effects on the children involved.

• Enhanced self-esteem
• Early maturity
• Creation of identity
• Have the feeling of "being well prepared for life ."

• Live virtually in secret
• Have no one to talk
• Social isolation
• Renouncing one's own childhood
• Exhaustion, overwork (self -care deficit )
• Possibly poor school grades, high absenteeism, early school leaving

Focal Points

In Germany the number of counseling services for children of mentally ill parents predominantly grows. Because of their different concepts, they are hardly comparable. None of these projects focused on the role of children as family caregivers, in addition to the projects are yet no reviews. Specific support services for nurturing children do not exist in Germany at present.

The absence of such offers affect the overall development of the children involved.