Caring relationships over time: predicting outcomes for carers

Researchers: Sandra Hutton, Michael Hirst, Dot Lawton, Julie Williams

Funder: Department of Health

Duration: October 1997 to July 2000

The project investigated outcomes in terms of health, employment, income and family life for those providing informal care. The effects of different timing and duration of episodes of informal care were studied longitudinally using three nationally representative data sets: the British Household Panel Survey, the Family and Working Lives Survey, and the General Household Survey.

The final report on this project was submitted to the Department of Health in July 2000.

Key findings

Cross-sectional trends mask the considerable change in the carer population. More than a third start or cease care-giving each year. The turnover of carers has financial and administrative implications for social service authorities.
Two issues are particularly important for developing benefits to support carers. The first is the time it takes for income to recover after the end of an informal care episode; the second is the reduced access to good pension provision for those combining part-time work and informal care, and for those who lose contact with the labour market during a spell of informal care.
Informal carers are increasingly recognised as an integral part of the primary health care team. The numbers and the diverse and changing circumstances of those providing informal care mean that supporting them in this role is complex task. Practice and community nurses have already initiated strategies to enable carers to sustain their role.

Working papers have been produced and additional work undertaken to provide background information for the National Carers' Strategy. Findings have been presented to those involved in the Outcomes of Social Care for Adults research programme.

Publications

2002

Transitions to informal care in Great Britain during the 1990s, 2002
Hirst, M., Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 56, 579-587.

2001

Trends in informal care in Great Britain during the 1990s, 2001
Hirst, M., Health and Social Care in the Community, 9, 6, 348-357.

Informal care over time, 2001
Hutton, S. and Hirst, M., Research Works, Social Policy Research Unit.

2000

Informal carers count, 2000
Hirst, M. and Arksey, H., Nursing Standard, 14, 42, 33-34.

Informal care over time, 2000
Hirst, M. and Hutton, S., Benefits, 28, 9-12.

Caring Relationships Over Time, 2000
Hutton, S. and Hirst, M., Social Policy Research Unit.

1999

Are informal carers a moving target?, 1999
Hirst, M., OSCA: Outcomes of Social Care for Adults, No. 2, 8-9.

Informal carers - a moving target?, 1999
Hirst, M., Cash & Care, No. 23, Social Policy Research Unit.

Professional press

Community Care, 6-12 April 2006. Knowledge Zone: Careworn country