Different but the same? Exploring the experiences of young people caring for a parent with an alcohol or other drug issue

Abstract

Although children of parents with an alcohol or other drug (AOD) issue appear to assume a range of caring responsibilities within their families they have, until recently, been excluded from the growing body of young-carer research, policy and practice. This is problematic, as this group may experience greater levels of social exclusion whilst experiencing similar negative impacts of care as their caring peers. This paper discusses the findings of an exploratory qualitative research project conducted in Canberra, Australia which attempted to further understand these young people's experiences and to consider how they might best be supported. The paper challenges the way that young caring has been conceptualised and suggests that unless a number of conceptual, structural and organisational changes are made, young people caring for a parent with an AOD issue may remain relatively unsupported.

Keywords:

• alcohol
• drugs
• health
• parenthood
• young adulthood

Notes

1. For the purposes of this article we have adopted a generic definition of youth and refer to all participants as young people.

2. For the purposes of this article, these young people's views have only been presented when talking about whole-of-family impacts of drug use.