title: School-age caregivers: perceptions of school nurses working in central England.
abstract: Children are caring for invalid relatives in Britain today, often at the expense of their own development. Research indicates these children are vulnerable to a wide range of problems. A preliminary investigation was conducted on the experiences of school nurses in central England to ascertain what they know about school-age caregivers, their awareness of how caring affects their health, and their perception of support available for caregivers. Eighteen school nurses participated in a qualitative investigation, which indicated that given recognition and resources, school nurses could identify school-age caregivers, their health needs, and, in cooperation with other agencies, provide these children with the necessary support.
authors.affiliation: Department of Professional Education in Community Studies, University of Reading, Earley, Reading, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McClure
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D012106:Research; D012573:School Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors