Understanding the unmet support needs of young and young adult carers and their families

PLoS One. 2024 Sep 26;19(9):e0310766. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310766. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Support for children and young people who provide unpaid care is important to help prevent negative impacts of caregiving on their education, employment, mental health, and social relationships. We aimed to address an evidence gap about what services and support are needed from young carers' perspectives. We carried out focus groups or in-depth interviews with 133 carers aged 9-25 in England. Expressed unmet need for services and support could be grouped in three categories: support that would reduce or remove young people's need to provide care, help improve the lives of the people they care for, mitigate against impacts of providing care on their mental health, wellbeing, education, social participation and leisure activities, and, whilst they are still providing care, assist them in their caring role. Action is needed to address these currently unmet needs and implement young carers' and their families' rights to support.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Caregivers* / psychology
  • Child
  • England
  • Family / psychology
  • Female
  • Focus Groups
  • Health Services Needs and Demand
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health
  • Social Support*
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme (grant number NIHR129645). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.