Utkast rapport Barn og unge Siri Gjesdahl ... - Helse Midt-Norge

TIDSSKRIFT FOR PSYKISK HELSEARBEID Vol. 7 • Nr. 3 • 2010 216 • Kallander
Summary
Ellen Kat. Kallander
Hidden Young Carers – Health Political Perspectives
This article discusses the need for a more distinct health policy response related to children of parents
with mental health problems. Greater understanding of the fact that children and youth often take on a
too extensive and inappropriate burden of care, which may represent a risk to their own mental health,
has only to a small degree resulted in the national development of knowledge and competence. Such a
development is necessary to achieve an the understanding of young carers and to calculate the followup
necessary according to the new law for health personnel. Many facts point towards the need for a
more distinct health policy response. International research shows that children’s care-giving is the
result of a inadequate health and social care provision, such as home-based care for people with care
and supervision needs. There is also a lack of recognition and support available to meet the needs of ill
or disabled parents. One country which distinguishes itself positively regarding the development of
knowledge research groups is the UK. Their research contributed to changing UK law, health politics
strategies, policies and good practice. These new perspectives on relevant knowledge have spread to
other continents. This article argues that the British research represents a significant knowledge base
also for Government policies in Norway.