About the project
The aim of this project is to produce information on young carers in Finland. The project defines young carers as adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 who regularly provide care for a family member or other close relative.
This project addresses the current knowledge gap regarding young carers in Finland. Specifically, it 1) develops an in-depth understanding of how young carers’ caring role shapes their life course transitions during adolescence and emerging adulthood, 2) produces empirical knowledge regarding young carers’ family care chains, and 3) analyses their formal and informal forms of support for caring.
The caring conducted by young carers entails significant temporal, physical, mental and/or emotional demands that run counter to contemporary normative cultural ideals concerning adolescence and emerging adulthood. The tension between youth and care is palpable, as caring presumes an orientation towards other(s), whereas adolescence and emerging adulthood are often thought of as periods characterised by orientation towards the self and a focus on freedom, identity exploration and self-fulfilment
Although young carers constitute a significant number of adolescents and young adults as well as a significant group of carers, the issues that concern them have remained largely invisible in Finland. Finland still lacks specific legislation, policies, and targeted services for young carers. Deeper empirical knowledge is needed to create policies and practices for professionals, and thus to create adequate services for young carers.
Privacy notice (in Finnish)
Are you interested in collaborating or, for example, working on a thesis as part of a project? Do you have questions about participating in the study? Contact the project leader Tiina Sihto responsible for the project.