Local government

The author argues that funding for young carers' support should be ring-fenced to avoid that possibility that British councils may use the budget to fend off the next budgetary crisis. He describes young carers as children who take on responsibility for their families, acting as main carers for their disabled or chronically ill parents and siblings. The government has funded initiatives to support young carers. However, he notes that government aims to transfer this funding to local authorities.

This study examines what support services are offered to informal caregivers and whether the support is aimed directly or indirectly at the carers. Data were collected by means of two mail questionnaires in a Swedish county. The first questionnaire was aimed at each municipality in the region. The second questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 284 voluntary organizations in the region. Only the municipalities proved to have relief services, day care centres and two forms of payment for carers.