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BJSW Advance Access originally published online on November 8, 2006
British Journal of Social Work 2008 38(3):493-506; doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcl350
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers. All rights reserved.

Grounding Constructions of Carers: Exploring the Experiences of Carers through a Grounded Approach

Michael Burton

Michael Burton qualified from Coventry University with 1st Class Honours in Social Work in 2004. Michael currently works as a care manager in Camden’s Learning Disability Service and has been involved in adult social care for eleven years. Michael is working on developing awareness of carers’ issues as well as new approaches to assessment and person-centred care management.

Correspondence to Mr Michael Burton, Care Management Team, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Southwick Hill Road, Cosham, PO6 3LY. E-mail: michaelburtoncarers{at}hotmail.co.uk


  Abstract

Social and political constructions of carers have been criticized for undervaluing the complexities of the experiences of carers. However, relatively little research has attempted to generate more meaningful constructions of carers by drawing these considerations together. The purpose of this article is to begin addressing this need. To accomplish this, the article is presented in two sections. First, an overview is provided on the current constructions of carers and suggested considerations for research. Second, with this overview as its context, a study, taken from the author’s academic dissertation, is presented. The study sets out to generate more meaningful constructions of the caring experience through a grounded approach. The findings are based on a focus group and interviews with fourteen carers in total. A diverse range of participants were involved, in order to generate categories that would hold more relevance across caring experiences. Four common categories for carers emerged, along with properties that explained differences in experiences. The categories of when carers start to care, circumstances change over time, justifying the use of support and using support are subsequently discussed in relation to current constructions, practice and policy.

Keywords: carers, grounded theory, political constructions, social care


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