title: Germany's First Young Carers Project's Impact on the Children: Relieving the Entire Family. A Qualitative Evaluation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2009, the first German young carers project "SupaKids" was implemented in a large German city. The project's concept was mainly based on findings of a prior Grounded Theory study, and the concept's aim was to focus on supporting enrolled families (especially the children) in order to prevent negative effects. Quantitative as well as qualitative data have been assessed for the project's evaluation. In this paper, first results on the mainly qualitative evaluation concerning the project's impact are presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The project has an impact on the entire family. Both parents and children perceive the project as a kind of shelter, where they a) are allowed to be as they are, b) don't have to explain themselves, c) meet others in similar situations, d) may deposit their sorrows, e) have a first port of call for any problem, f) experience a hiatus from the domestic situation, and g) find friends and peers. All enrolled families value this shelter as a copious relief.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The project's concept has delivered an optimal performance in practice: the family-orientation seems to be appropriate, the concept's modules seem to be all-embracing, and the modular body of the concept has been confirmed. The project relieves the entire family.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  NCT00734942.
authors.affiliation: Department Nursing Science, Witten/Herdecke University, Stockumer Straß e 12, D-58453 Witten, Germany.
authors.forename: Jörg Große
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Schlarmann
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Metzing
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schoppmann
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schnepp