We are very excited to announce details of the first Café Culturel! It will be led by Professor Saul Becker (University of Birmingham) and is entitled, “Hidden Faces of Childhood: Children as Caregivers”. In Birmingham, the UK and the world, a large proportion of children take on major caring roles and responsibilities for other family members. These ‘young carers’ are often hidden – invisible in the societies, communities and places that they live, learn and work.
A wealth of previous research highlights that many young carers take on excessive or inappropriate caring responsibilities, which hamper their ability to learn, develop and thrive. As such, young carers often face significant disadvantages, which not only affect their childhood and education in the here and now, but also cast a shadow forward and affect their futures and prospects in later life. The discussion will lift the lid the realities of being a young carer, addressing who these children are and why they have to provide care. This research has also revealed that, as a testament to the resilience and capacity of adaptation of individuals, these young individuals are not simply ‘victims’ of society, but individuals that develop a set of important qualities and approaches to life. Certainly, the public will have the opportunity and be encouraged to probe deeper into whether we should do more than merely acknowledge their presence.
The Café will run from 7-9pm on Monday 16th February and will take place upstairs at Cherry Reds, John Bright St, Birmingham. It is completely FREE and open to all although seats are limited so best arrive early!
It promises to be a wonderful and thought-provoking evening and we look forward to seeing you there!
Café Culturel 
This event sounds so cool, composed and on the money (was the pun intended?, don’t know! just spotted its presence!)
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