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The Vulnerability and Injustices Faced by Young Carers in Developed Societies

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  • Gottfried Schweiger

    (Centre for Ethics and Poverty Research, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria)

Abstract

Around 2–8% of children and adolescents in developed societies are young carers, who provide care for ill, disabled, or addicted family members. This paper investigates the vulnerability and multidimensional injustices faced by young carers, drawing on empirical studies—both qualitative and quantitative—and social theory to reveal how young carers navigate their roles within the broader context of social inequality, highlighting the social structures and mechanisms that contribute to their marginalization and the detrimental consequences for their social inclusion, well-being, and personal development. The methodology of this article is a narrative analysis of relevant empirical research on young carers, combined with an analysis of this literature through a normative framework of social justice, which examines four dimensions of justice in order to highlight the vulnerability of young carers. (1) Firstly, young carers are often pushed into their situation because of economic and social constraints, which do not allow the family to find a different solution. Economic inequalities lead to and enforce caring obligations and have a cumulative negative effect on the young carer. Limited resources can be problematic for social inclusion, and when combined with caring obligations, they are corrosive. (2) Secondly, young carers are often victims of moral blackmail, which is that they are trapped in a situation where it would be morally wrong for them to act otherwise. Such moral blackmail can be carried out by those who are cared for, by the family and relatives or even by society, which could, but does not provide alternatives to young carers. (3) Thirdly, young carers are often manipulated to accept their caring obligations through distorted social norms and practices. Other than in the case of moral blackmail, such young carers do not care because they want to do the morally right thing and do have no alternatives available, but because they internalized that it would be normal for them to do so. Two concepts are useful to capture this aspect: adaptive preferences and indoctrination. (4) Fourthly, young people caring is often a form of exploitation, in that it takes unfair advantage of the young carer by receiving something from them, without giving an equivalent in return (and harming them in the process).

Suggested Citation

  • Gottfried Schweiger, 2025. "The Vulnerability and Injustices Faced by Young Carers in Developed Societies," Societies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:15:y:2025:i:4:p:101-:d:1635859
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Serene Khader, 2009. "Adaptive Preferences and Procedural Autonomy," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(2), pages 169-187.
    2. Aya K. Abe, 2019. "Developing Deprivation Index for Children Taking into Account of Adaptive Preferences," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(2), pages 647-665, April.
    3. Loredana Cerbara & Giulia Ciancimino & Antonio Tintori, 2022. "Are We Still a Sexist Society? Primary Socialisation and Adherence to Gender Roles in Childhood," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-15, March.
    4. Katrina Lloyd, 2013. "Happiness and Well-Being of Young Carers: Extent, Nature and Correlates of Caring Among 10 and 11 Year Old School Children," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 67-80, March.
    5. Marianne Saragosa & Melissa Frew & Shoshana Hahn-Goldberg & Ani Orchanian-Cheff & Howard Abrams & Karen Okrainec, 2022. "The Young Carers’ Journey: A Systematic Review and Meta Ethnography," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-25, May.
    6. Miriam Teschl & Flavio Comim, 2005. "Adaptive Preferences and Capabilities: Some Preliminary Conceptual Explorations," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 63(2), pages 229-247.
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