Nagl-Cupal, Martin

Background: Carers (including young carers) experiencing negative outcomes due to their caring role are more likely to report a lower sense of coherence. This article explores young carers' support needs for support provided by professionals. Methods: A total of 20 interviews with young carers and the persons for whom they provide care were analysed by applying Antonovsky's paradigm of salutogenesis. The dimensions of manageability, comprehensibility and meaningfulness served to categorise the data.

Background:  It is unknown how Swiss professionals support for young carers.  Previous national research suggests a lack of support services for young carers.  Professionals do provide individual as well as a family-centred support.  Social services seem to be most inclined to initiating interdisciplinary support. The situation of children, adolescents, young adults with caring responsibilities and their families has only recently been addressed in the Swiss context.

Findings from international research emphasis the need of these young people to be identified and recognised. Therefore, a nationwide quantitative study of professionals' awareness was conducted in the Swiss context. Data were collected from professionals working in education, healthcare and social services.

This qualitative study aims to describe the experiences of adults with caring responsibilities during their childhood. 16 semi-structured interviews with former young carers were conducted and analyzed using open and axial coding procedures and constant comparison techniques. Being responsible as a child in terms of caregiving has an impact on every person concerned. When entering adulthood, most former young carers maintain the responsibility for the ill person.

Aim This paper reports the prevalence and its related sociodemographic factors of informal caregiving by underage children in Austria. The quantity and intensity of caregiving activities, the motivation for and effects of caregiving and how this differs from non-caregiving children were investigated. Background Young carers are a worldwide phenomenon. Due to methodological and sampling problems, little quantitative data are available. Design Cross-sectional, descriptive study.