Youthful Caretaker - In every class, there is one student who looks after a family member.
In stealth, they function. Many times, their immediate surroundings remain unaware of their responsibilities. We're talking about young caregivers. These are adolescents who take care of their relatives at home - parents, grandparents, and more. There are an estimated 478,915 of them in Germany, which roughly translates to nearly half a million individuals.
After examining 6,313 students from Grade 5 onwards in North Rhine-Westphalia, researchers found that 6.1% of these pupils contribute to household care. This means that nearly one in every 20 students provide assistance to their relatives with tasks typically reserved for adults.
In perspective, the average class size in North Rhine-Westphalia consists of 23.5 students. One can safely assume that someone in every class aids their relatives by performing unexpected duties - like washing, dressing, undressing, and walking. If you include those who manage the household because no one else can, the percentage surges to 13.1%. This implies that approximately two to three students in every class carry the weight of these responsibilities.
This burden escalates proportionately when the number of caretakers decreases. The increasing rates of divorce in Germany (39.9% in 2021) and the growing number of single-parent households (~18% of all children under 18) contribute to this vicious cycle.
"When only one parent is present, it's quite natural for the children to bear the care burden," remarks Sabine Metzing. "However, if there's only one child, the situation can become overwhelmingly stressful."
Sadly, many young carers realize the gravity of their circumstances only when they reach adulthood. This realization often comes when the damage has been done. In fact, Metzing highlights that she's confronted with numerous adults who had considerable caregiving roles when they were younger and later required therapeutic assistance.
"These individuals often state that they first needed to relearn how to live normally," stresses Metzing.
The impacts on young carers are plentiful
Young carers are susceptible to a myriad of difficulties. Some don't feel burdened in the slightest, while others express the sentiment of not having a childhood or being robbed of it.
Educationally, these young carers become susceptible to lagging behind their peers. They frequently struggle with academic tasks due to distractions at school and the inability to focus on their homework at home. Moreover, these students often arrive at school without a restful sleep, subsequently affecting their performance at school.
Furthermore, young carers seldom have anyone to confide in - which isolates them and forces them to face their issues independently.
A pressing issue without a solution
This is a multifaceted problem - one Germany is yet to address adequately. "I'm not aware of any school implementing a young carer's initiative - as is common in the UK," says Metzing. Having dedicated herself to this issue since 2004, she's noticed extraordinary efforts made by a select few teachers.
"Teachers play a critical role in such scenarios," says Metzing. "We must urgently develop contact points, like school social workers, who can lend a listening ear to these students."
Teaming up with these exceptional instructors has often alleviated some of the burdens endured by young carers. "However, these are isolated instances in our country," emphasizes Metzing. "We need to make massive improvements in this regard."
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Source: symclub.org
