CAREnet ─ Network for Strengthening Social Science Research on Family Care

• Applicant: Dr. Ulrike Ehrlich
• Subject Area: Empirical Social Research
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 574376179

In the social sciences, it has been recognized that family caregiving - that is, the support and care of family members with functional, mental, or cognitive limitations in the home environment - is becoming increasingly important in aging societies such as Germany. Researchers from various disciplines have examined the key determinants and consequences of family caregiving using diverse theoretical approaches, data sources, and methods. However, significant research gaps remain: first, a lack of consistent, interdisciplinary terminology and clear definitions and measurement concepts; second, the absence of an overarching conceptual framework that enables the systematic classification of empirical studies on individual and welfare state-related factors and their interdependencies, thereby facilitating the development of new research perspectives. This is where the planned scientific network CAREnet comes in. Its aim is to systematically connect early career and established researchers from the quantitative social sciences who have so far worked largely independently on issues related to caregiving by family members. CAREnet pursues two central scientific goals: 1. the development of a consistent and interdisciplinary terminology and definition of family care, as well as the review and refinement of existing measurement concepts of family care; 2. the conceptual (further) development of a theoretical-methodological framework that enables a structured systematization of existing knowledge on the determinants and consequences of family caregiving, highlights current research gaps, and offers well-founded starting points for future research. The network’s activities are designed to foster sustainable academic collaboration, lead to joint publications, and culminate in the cooperative development of a third-party funding proposal. More broadly, CAREnet aims to advance and strengthen the research field of family caregiving and to generate innovative impulses for future social science research.

• DFG Programme: Scientific Networks
• Co-Investigator: Dr. Nadiya Kelle