Analysis: up to 13% of Irish adolescents and young adults are carers, but often go unnoticed and unsupported in society
Family carers are the backbone of Ireland's health and social care system, providing over €20 billion worth of unpaid care to ill, elderly, and/or disabled individuals every year. Since 2016, the number of people providing informal care in Ireland has increased by over 50%. Amongst these carers are a group of adolescents and young adults who provide substantial care and support to family members with physical or mental illnesses, disabilities, or substance abuse issues.
Estimates suggest that up to 13% of Irish adolescents and young adults are carers. However, these young people often go unnoticed in society, and are commonly referred to as a "hidden" group, making prevalence hard to confirm. A fear of stigma, a lack of identification with the caregiving role and a lack of designated supports means that young people don’t identify themselves as carers. Additionally, the inherent invisibility of the caregiving role outside of the family home means these young people are an extremely hard-to-reach population and are often overlooked in healthcare, education, service provision and policy.
But why is it so important that these young people are identified? Research carried out by the author, as well as Prof Stephen Gallagher and Dr Jennifer McMahon from the University of Limerick, and Dr Nikki Dunne at Family Carers Ireland, shows adolescent and young carers are 3.6 times more likely to be depressed than their peers, specifically if they are providing care to a parent. With around one in three young carers in Ireland providing support to a parent, these findings are of major concern. Young carers were also up to six times more likely to experience depressive symptoms in young adulthood if they experienced depression in adolescence. These findings mean caregiving in adolescence, specifically for a parent, is a major risk factor for current and future depression if left untreated.
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From RTÉ Kids, Kate Brennan-Harding talks to young carer Zoe Gilmartin from Ballina, Co Mayo who looks after the care of her 8-year-old brother Ryan
So, what is it that makes these young carers vulnerable to depression? The research shows providing care to vulnerable family members can, at times, be a very rewarding experience, enhancing self-esteem, reinforcing feelings of competence, and helping to develop empathy. However, caregiving is also known to be an extremely challenging and stressful experience, especially when unsupported. Dedicating time and energy to support the health and safety of another person can result in the carer being overwhelmed, juggling too many responsibilities, and not having enough time to meet their own personal needs.
For adolescents and young adults who are going through a unique developmental period, characterised by major life changes and transitions, these extra responsibilities may be even more of a challenge. Often, these young people are trying to juggle educational and work commitments, develop a sense of identity and form healthy relationships in addition to providing necessary support to a vulnerable family member. Juggling these responsibilities can take a major toll on a young person’s emotional, physical, and mental resources, leaving them at risk of isolation, loneliness, reduced educational and work attainment, and mental health issues.
A vast range of caregiving tasks are undertaken by these young people, many of which would be challenging even for an adult. Young carers provide personal care such as bathing, toileting, and dressing, and practical assistance such as helping their loved one move safely around the house or street, providing help with cooking and cleaning, and assisting in managing finances. In addition, many young carers provide emotional support in times of distress by offering a listening ear and reassurance to their loved ones. All these tasks are essential for the health and well-being of the person being cared for and young carers often willingly take on these roles out of love and respect for the person.
From RTÉ News, Conor Byrne, 20, from Co Wicklow, has cared for his mother Ann since she had a stroke when he was eight years old
Nonetheless, over time, these tasks and responsibilities can become increasingly difficult to manage, meaning that young people sacrifice their social life, education and even career for their caregiving duties. Research from Family Carers Ireland, the national charity supporting family carers, shows that these caregiving tasks are associated with negative psychological outcomes for some young carers such as sadness and low self-worth, and that these negative outcomes are heightened in those who were carrying out high amounts of caregiving activity.
Based on this evidence, it’s clear that teenagers and young adults need support in their caregiving role. Identification of young carers needs to be made a priority. If you know someone who is a young carer, or if you feel you might be a young carer, please get in touch with Family Carers Ireland.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ. If you have been affected by issues raised in this article, support information is available online
