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Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal

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01-09-2008

Working and Caring for a Child with Chronic Illness: Challenges in Maintaining Employment

Authors: Ajesh George, Margaret H. Vickers, Lesley Wilkes, Belinda Barton

Published in: Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal | Issue 3/2008

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Abstract

This paper shares some pertinent findings from an initial, qualitative stage of a larger, national study currently being undertaken in Australia, exploring the support needs of parents who are working full time and caring for a child with chronic illness. The findings presented here depict the negative impact of these parents caring responsibilities on their work life and the increased stress they experience trying to maintain full time employment. In-depth interviews revealed how these parents had to rearrange their working hours, use up their leave entitlements, work unsatisfactory hours, sacrifice their careers and even change their jobs in order to balance their dual roles. In addition, the findings also highlight the negative and unsupportive attitude that employers had towards these parents. These employment conditions were extremely stressful and frustrating for parents affecting their physical and emotional well being.

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Title: Working and Caring for a Child with Chronic Illness: Challenges in Maintaining Employment
Authors: Ajesh George
Margaret H. Vickers
Lesley Wilkes
Belinda Barton
Publication date: 01-09-2008
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal / Issue 3/2008
Print ISSN: 0892-7545
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3378
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10672-008-9065-3

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