United Kingdom/United States Dr. Feylyn Lewis, Careum, Zurich, November 12 th 2019
Dr. Feylyn Lewis Research Fellow, University of Sussex Advisory Board member Caregiving in the US 2020, National Alliance for Caregiving The University of Sussex Falmer, Brighton, United Kingdom The University of Sussex (http://www.sussex.ac.uk) is a higher education institution established in August 1961 for the advancement of learning and knowledge by teaching and research. In the 2019-20 Times Higher World University Rankings, Sussex was ranked 19 th in the UK and 146 th in the world. It currently has over 14,000 students and 2,100 staff from all over the world. It has had 3 Nobel Prize winners.
1. Recognition and Specific Support for Young Carers United States of America: An Emerging Country • There is a lack of widespread recognition of young carers in the USA • Currently a greater focus on Millennial caregivers (born between 1981- 1996), Sandwich Generation caregivers, and Kinship caregivers • There is one major NGO for young carers: The American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY). • Facebook groups for young caregivers are gaining traction 1.3 million to 1.4 million YCs 215,000-800,000 YCs + No official young carer policy Policy + + Quelle, 12pt 1 major support organization Over 300 support organizations Careum School of Health, 12.11.2019, EOPC YC in Switzerland 3
Why is the USA so different from the UK? UN Convention of the Rights of the Child Acceptance of welfare state Commitment from national non-profit organizations THE MEDIA! Size & Federal system Careum School of Health, DD.MM.YY, Titel 4
2. Definition of Young Carers A Language Deficit • There is no accepted definition or terminology of young carers in the USA. • Caregiving youth has been encouraged by AACY to highlight that young carers are indeed children, not yet of legal age. • Young caregivers is also a term used by researchers and the media Young carers; children as Young next of kin caregivers Caregiving youth; young caregivers Young carers; special siblings Careum School of Health, 12.11.2019, EOPC YC in Switzerland 5
3. Current policy and services in the USA • There are no specific policies or services for young carers on either a state or a federal level. • State legislation on child protection or neglect may be relevant in a small minority of cases • State social services would generally only be involved if there were reports of parental neglect, or severe impacts to a child’s welfare, e.g., food insecurity or homelessness • Formal support is given on an individual & local basis, e.g., a YC may see a school counsellor but only if identified and available to access • Support groups by disease organisations or hospitals remain focused on adults. • The care recipient may have a variety of governmental sponsored support available, such as Social Security Disability Benefits— but only if eligible Careum School of Health, 12.11.2019, EOPC YC in Switzerland 6
4. Specific legislation for YC Child Labor & Child Welfare Laws • Whilst «care as labor» remains a contested subject, US federal child labor laws may help form arguments for more specific legal protection • The Fair Labor Standard’s Act’s minimum age requirements do not apply to minors employed by their parents. A clear signal that legal rights weigh heavily in favor of parents! • Impact of opioid crisis: 36% of children entering foster care in 2017 due to parental substance abuse • Family First Prevention Services Act (2018) dedicates significant federal funding to states for increased mental health and substance abuses services to decrease entry to foster care system • Aim: To allow for more children to stay with parents or kinship carers Careum School of Health, 12.11.2019, EOPC YC in Switzerland 7
5. Key factors for promoting policy & practice for YC • National research involving young carers is over 15 years old; updated national statistics are needed • Increased prioritization on media/press opportunities by AACY; see Vice News 2017 feature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puwI1t ROvkQ • Public interest blogging and articles in Huffington Post • Increased collaboration between invested researchers: see Bookend Caregiving Project by Professor Elizabeth Olsen: http://bookendcaregivers.web.unc.edu • Involvement of National Alliance for Caregiving in Caregiving in the US 2020 national research study & questions on young carers Careum School of Health, 12.11.2019, EOPC YC in Switzerland 8
Young Carers Classification The USA: An Emerging Country 2016 2019 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 9
Concluding Reflections: •A watershed moment needed in the USA! •Opioid crisis could provide this attention onto young carers •More closer scrutiny needed onto kinship care relationships for the presence of young caring •Potential to harness the power of social media •Role of traditional media/press •Need for national research studies to inform policy creation Careum School of Health, 12.11.2019, EOPC YC in Switzerland 10
Contact Details Dr. Feylyn Lewis University of Sussex School of Education and Social Work Essex House 121 University of Sussex Falmer Brighton, BN1 9QQ United Kingdom Email: F.M.Lewis@sussex.ac.uk Twitter: @DrFeylynLewis Careum School of Health, 12.11.2019, EOPC YC in Switzerland 11
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