We have completed recruitment for this study and we are analyzing data. Thank you to everyone who participated.

What is this study about?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools and daycares were closed, long-term and continuing care was reduced, and other essential services were affected. We want to understand how unpaid caregivers and parents took on more responsibility because of these changes during and after the pandemic.

What are the study goals?

1. To explore caregivers’ and parents’ experiences providing unpaid labour during and after the pandemic.

2. To learn about inequalities in caregiving and parenting responsibilities.

3. To develop policy recommendations to better support caregivers and parents before, during, and after health emergencies.

What do we mean by “unpaid labour” and “caregiving”?

Unpaid labour describes any work that you do that is not paid. Caregiving includes many kinds of unpaid work that we do for others. Caregiving includes many parenting activities. Some examples of caregiving are, doing household chores, food preparation, running errands, and helping someone with bathing or dressing. Other examples include helping to manage someone’s medical care - things like booking appointments, talking to doctors, and more.

Who is paying for this study?

This study is being funded by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Insight Development Grant (No. 430-2022-00413). SSHRC provides federal funding for research and training in the social sciences and humanities.

Where is this study being done?

This study will recruit unpaid caregivers and parents from Alberta and Nova Scotia. We may include participants across Canada in the future.

This study is being led by Dr. Terra Manca with Dalhousie and Athabasca Universities. Dr. Emma Whelan at Dalhousie University is a co-investigator and Dr. Robyn Lee at the University of Alberta is a collaborator on the study. Nicole Hill (PhD Candidate) at the University of Alberta is a research assistant. Research ethics board (REB) approval is being provided by Dalhousie University (Study REB No. 2023-6727, ethics@dal.ca).

How can I find out more?

If you want to learn more about this study or receive a copy of the results once it is completed, you can reach us through the contact form below or directly through email.