Young Carers in Early Childhood— How Are Young Carers Represented in Broader Literature and What Factors Influence Dominant Representations of Young Carers in Early Childhood in the UK? Scoping Review

Contextualization of young carers in early childhood is complex. Biopsychosocial impacts of young caregiving are receiving growing interest, yet the voice and experience of society's youngest carers (0-5 years) remain absent from the literature. This scoping review explores representation of young carers in their early years (0-5 years), presented as part of a broader program of PhD research undertaken by the lead author. Aiming to influence systematic change in the way young carers are perceived and supported in society, further research is recommended. This will serve to better inform whole family support strategies in the context of young carer policy and practice. This review has been undertaken following JBI guidance for scoping reviews. A comprehensive literature search included publications dated 2014-2024 in Scopus, PubMed, PsycINFO, Eric, Web of Science, and Carers Trust and NSPCC websites. The overall search yielded no studies which met the inclusion criteria. Results were discussed with knowledge users, and content experts with lived experience of caring in early childhood, at all stages of the review process. The absence of relevant research highlights a significant gap in knowledge regarding the way in which the lived experiences of young carers in early childhood are represented and understood.