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Happiness and Well-Being of Young Carers: Extent, Nature and Correlates of Caring Among 10 and 11 Year Old School Children

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  • Katrina Lloyd

Abstract

Young carers often take on practical and/or emotional caring responsibilities that would normally be expected of an adult. For many of these children and young people, caring has been shown to have a detrimental effect on their lives. For example, caring at a young age appears to be associated with poor health and well-being, bullying and poorer educational outcomes. However, previous research has tended to be retrospective, carried out using small surveys of secondary school-aged children or to use qualitative methods with young people associated with caring projects. In contrast, little is known about the extent and nature of caring undertaken by younger children. This paper reports findings from a random sample survey of 10 and 11 year old children in the final year of their primary school education. 4,192 children completed the Kids’ Life and Times (KLT) online survey in 2011. Twelve percent of respondents to KLT said they helped look after someone in their household who was sick, elderly or disabled. Supporting previous qualitative research, this survey showed that children who were carers had poorer health and well-being, reported less happiness with their lives, were more likely to be bullied at school and had poorer educational aspirations and outcomes than their peers who were not carers. These findings suggest that teachers need to discuss the issue of caring with children in the classroom in a general and supportive way so that young carers feel able to confide in them and seek support if they need it. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2013

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  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:14:y:2013:i:1:p:67-80
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-011-9316-0
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    1. Mark Holder & Ben Coleman, 2009. "The Contribution of Social Relationships to Children’s Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(3), pages 329-349, June.
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    1. Camille Bou, 2023. "Factors Associated with the Quality-of-Life of Young Unpaid Carers: A Systematic Review of the Evidence from 2003 to 2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Giulia Casu & Valentina Hlebec & Licia Boccaletti & Irena Bolko & Alessandra Manattini & Elizabeth Hanson, 2021. "Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being among Adolescent Young Carers in Europe: A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-23, February.
    3. Ed Janes, 2022. "Young Carer Perception of Control: Results of a Phenomenology with a Mixed Sample of Young Carers Accessing Support and Unknown to Services," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-16, May.
    4. Frech, Marianne & Wepf, Hannah & Nagl-Cupal, Martin & Becker, Saul & Leu, Agnes, 2021. "Ready and able? Professional awareness and responses to young carers in Switzerland," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    5. Hinke M. van der Werf & Wolter Paans & Geertjan Emmens & Anneke L. Francke & Petrie F. Roodbol & Marie Louise A. Luttik, 2020. "Expectations and Prospects of Young Adult Caregivers Regarding the Support of Professionals: A Qualitative Focus Group Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-11, June.
    6. Myra Hamilton & Gerry Redmond, 2020. "Are Young Carers Less Engaged in School than Non-Carers? Evidence from a Representative Australian Study," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(1), pages 33-49, February.
    7. Mansi Jain & Gagan Deep Sharma & Mandeep Mahendru, 2019. "Can I Sustain My Happiness? A Review, Critique and Research Agenda for Economics of Happiness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-36, November.
    8. Jade Pilato & Géraldine Dorard & Basilie Chevrier & Agnes Leu & Aurélie Untas, 2022. "Quality of Life of Adolescents Facing a Parental Illness: A Person-Oriented Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-17, June.
    9. Ana Meireles & Sofia Marques & Sara Faria & Joana Correia Lopes & Ana Ribas Teixeira & Bruno Alves & Saul Becker, 2023. "Being a Young Carer in Portugal: The Impact of Caring on Adolescents’ Life Satisfaction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(21), pages 1-19, November.
    10. Bou, Camille, 2023. "Factors associated with the quality-of-life of young unpaid carers: a systematic review of the evidence from 2003 to 2019," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 118357, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    11. Cho, Esther Yin-Nei & Yu, Fuk-Yuen, 2020. "A review of measurement tools for child wellbeing," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    12. Amy Warhurst & Sarah Bayless & Emma Maynard, 2022. "Teachers’ Perceptions of Supporting Young Carers in Schools: Identifying Support Needs and the Importance of Home–School Relationships," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-18, August.
    13. Russell, Helen & Smyth, Emer, 2024. "Caregiving among Young Adults in Ireland," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS168.
    14. Katrina Lloyd & Lesley Emerson, 2017. "(Re)examining the Relationship Between Children’s Subjective Wellbeing and Their Perceptions of Participation Rights," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(3), pages 591-608, September.

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