Support for young carers in transition to adulthood

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K02124
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 08020:Social welfare-related
• Research Institution: Rissho University
• Principal Investigator: MORITA Kumiko 立正大学, 社会福祉学部, 教授 (40308127)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ヤングケアラー / 若者ケアラー / 成人への移行

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Half of the child and youth support organizations recognized that among the children and young people they support, there are young people who seem to be caring for their families. It is considered important to position young carers as targets of support from child and youth support organizations and promote efforts to support the transition to adulthood of young carers at child and youth support organizations. In addition, many child and youth support organizations recognized that the impact of caring for young carers was "mental stress and instability" and "inability to find employment.Then they provided support for young carers by providing mental support through counseling and a place to stay, as well as employment support such as knowledge about and guidance on how to find a job.

Free Research Field

社会福祉

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

2024（令和６）年6月に、子ども若者育成支援推進法が改正され、ヤングケアラーが子ども・若者支援の対象に位置づけられた。ヤングケアラー支援については、2022（令和４）年から国による支援施策が講じられてきたが、18歳を超えてケアを続ける若者や18歳以降にケアを始めた若者への支援については、途切れなく支援をすることの必要性や子ども・若者支援センターを相談機関に位置づけることが確認されているものの、具体的な施策は明らかとなっていない。本研究は、若者ケアラーへの支援施策のあり方に示唆を与えるものである。