Nearly 20% of young people in Japan whose parents have been killed or left permanently disabled in traffic accidents are caregivers of family members, a recent survey by an association for children of traffic accident victims showed.
The online survey in March was the first time the association has asked about young caregivers, who provide long-term daily care for family members during their adolescence.
The survey received 366 responses from 830 high school and college students who have benefited from a scholarship program the association administers for children of traffic accident victims.
The survey found that 15.8% of respondents said they have at least one family member to take care of, with the share being 16.7% for high school students and 15.9% for college students.
Those who take care of a father accounted for 36.2% of the total, the largest group, followed by care of a mother, at 29.3%. Much of the care given involves housework and accompanying a parent outside the home.
The share of those who do such tasks on an almost daily basis was 36.2% — 64.7% of high school students and 24.4% of college students.
Over 70% of respondents said they have never talked about their situation with friends or public bodies. The reasons given were hesitation in speaking about family matters and doubt that addressing the issue publicly would make any difference.
Hisakazu Dohi, director of the association, noted that young people are sometimes forced to be caregivers if a parent is left disabled after an accident. “We’ll work to support such students, not only in Tokyo but also in rural areas, by working with local authorities,” he said.