若年介護者（ヤングケアラー）を生まないために : なぜ、子どもが介護のにない手になるのか

Interest concerning “young carers” has been growing in recent years. The government is rapidly advancing concrete support measures based on nationwide survey of the actual situation, but factors behind why children and young people become young carers still remain obscure. The objective of this study is to elucidate factors behind the emergence of young carers. We investigated the actual conditions of young carers using data from a survey of actual children’s life conditions in Shimane Prefecture. As the number of household members has decreased compared to before, there is a shortage of adults in families who can undertake nursing responsibilities. As an inevitable consequence, young family members have had to bear the task. Meanwhile, the insufficiency of “socialization in nursing” to cope with the situation is producing circumstances where children are forced to fill the role of caregivers. To realize a society where young carers can live with greater ease, it is necessary to provide community-wide support to these people.