[Inside Chodong] The Role of Our Society for Young Carers

Kim Jeong-su (17), who takes care of his elderly mother who collapsed due to a cerebral hemorrhage, is responsible for their livelihood. To protect his only family member, his mother, he has given up his studies and works various part-time jobs, but it is far from enough to cover hospital bills and rent.

Three years ago, a 22-year-old young man who cared for his father alone caused his father's death by starvation due to extreme financial hardship, in what was called a 'caregiving murder' case. This incident raised social awareness about young carers. Young carers are children and youth who directly care for family members with illnesses, disabilities, mental health issues, or alcohol addiction. The estimated number of young carers in Korea is about 100,000.

After conducting a survey last year, the government has been running a pilot project dedicated to supporting young carers since July this year. The target group includes 2,400 youth aged 13 to 34 living in Incheon, Ulsan, Chungbuk, and Jeonbuk. The government verifies income criteria (within 100% of median income) among young carers and provides an annual self-care allowance of 2 million won. A 'care coordinator' is assigned exclusively to manage young carers.

Many young people give up their own futures while caring for sick family members. Young carers are often seen as filial youth from difficult family backgrounds, but effective measures to ease the heavy burdens they face are still lacking.

In the UK, there are dedicated managers for young carers like Kim Jeong-su. These managers carefully assess the young carers' caregiving roles, personal time, family life, financial difficulties, usual emotions, health, and studies. Then, they work with the young carers to develop family care plans and provide ways to improve overall welfare. To prevent isolation, online platforms linking social welfare services are also active. A weekly subsidy worth about 110,000 won is also provided. Support for young carers in the UK and other European countries focuses on helping them lead a 'normal life' with their peer groups.

What about Korea? Korea is still in the early stages. A proper support system must be built to provide a foundation for a better future for young carers. The government should learn from the experiences and mistakes of various countries and establish a comprehensive service system where everyone can receive the care they need. First, accurate data collection is necessary to build a systematic and comprehensive system. The overall scale of young carers in Korea is still unclear. In the first survey, the government set the age range at 13 to 34 years old. Therefore, there is no information about children under 13 who provide family care. To avoid creating another blind spot, regular surveys must be conducted. Legal grounds are needed. The Youth Welfare Support Act mandates a survey every three years on youth consciousness, attitudes, and lifestyles, but this is a general youth welfare survey and does not include specific details about young carers. Separate regulations for conducting surveys on young carers should be established.

The target group for support must also be actively identified. Online, there are numerous posts expressing uncertainty about how to find young carers. Various methods, such as conducting surveys in cooperation with schools, should be considered. The problems faced by young carers are not issues that individuals can solve alone. Society as a whole must participate to ensure they do not become the 'forgotten frontline.'