September 16, 2025 • 8 mins
Welcome to a new mini-series from the CARE MATTERS podcast!
In this introductory episode of the Care Matters podcast mini-series, How Language Matters, researchers Professor Majella Kilkey and Jayanthi Lingham explore the powerful role of language in care research, communication, and practice. Drawing from their work on the Borders in Care project, they reflect on how terms like “unpaid carer” or “informal care” may reflect—or obscure—people’s lived experiences.
They look at the key questions and themes which will frame the mini-series, such as:
- Is focusing on language a distraction from addressing systemic issues like underfunding and inequality?
- How language can draw attention to invisible forms of labour and care.
- The impact of words like “dependency” in framing people as passive rather than interdependent.
- How complex or shifting language within the care system can act as a barrier to services.
The episode, shaped through collaboration with the Centre for Care Voice Forum, sets the stage for further conversations in the series that challenge how we talk about care—and why that matters.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:05):
The Care Matters podcast is
brought to youby the ESRC Centre for Care and Circle,
the Centre for International Researchon Care, Labour
and Equalities.
In this series, our researcherswelcome experts in the field
and those giving or receiving careto discuss crucial issues in social care.
(00:27):
As we collectively attemptto make a positive difference to how care
is experienced and provided.
Hello.
My name is Majella Kilkey, I'm professorof social policy at the University
of Sheffield, where I'm alsoa co-investigator in the Centre for Care.
(00:48):
And in the Centre for Care,I lead the research group ‘Care
Trajectories and Constraints’.
Hi everyone.
My name is Jayanthi Linghamand I am a research associate
in the centre for care here at Sheffieldand I'm working with Majella
within the research group CareTrajectories and Constraints,
and we're working together on a researchstudy called Borders in Care,
(01:10):
which is looking at the lived
experiences of peoplewho have crossed international borders,
who are now in the UKand have care, experiences and needs.
So this is an
introduction to a podcast mini series,which is called How Language Matters,
and it's part of the Centre's care Matterspodcast series.
(01:33):
In our early co-production work,it became quite clear to us
that it's it's really importantfor us to think about the language
that we use around carewhen we're communicating our research
and when we're communicatingwith potential research participants.
And the language that we use needsto be reflective of people's realities.
For example, the terms that we usewhen we're talking about carers,
(01:56):
do we use the term unpaid carers orinformal carer to describe what people do?
Do we even use the word carer?
How reflectiveis it of the reality that people provide
and receive and need careall at the same time?
Another issue that has comeup, particularly in the Borders and Care
study, relates to how we use languagein the process of doing research.
(02:18):
So we can't assume that peoplewill communicate in English
or even a dominant other language,such as Hindi or French.
And we need to make sure that thatthat the language tools that we use in
research are inclusive.
And we also need to be awarethat people communicate non-verbally
as well as verbally, and may prefer
to communicate and participate in researchwith us non-verbally.
(02:41):
So we want to pick up on theseand other matters,
and we're doing so in this podcastmini series.
The themes and topics that we're goingto cover in the rest of the mini series
are not actually specificto their research group.
Care trajectories and constraints,or to borders and care.
They're relevant,we think, to all of the research
(03:02):
that's been carried outwithin the centre for care.
So in this
introduction to the podcast mini series,we want to set out
some of the common themes we intend to runthrough the series as a whole.
These themes were identifiedin collaboration with the centre for Care
Voice Forum, and we gratefully acknowledge
the valuable contribution Voice Forummembers have made.
(03:24):
So in total, we have four key themes
that we want to introducein this introduction.
And actually, as you were saying,Majella, the Voice forum has played
a really valuable role in
in helping signpostwhat these common themes are going to be.
And one of the dominant ones that thatone of them raised is a bigger question.
We're talking about language in this miniseries, but it's talking about language,
(03:47):
a distractionfrom talking about the real issues.
So we need to really be awareall the way throughout this series
that it's not enoughto only change our language.
We also need to be thinking abouthow do we challenge
the structures, the economic structures,
the political structures,the social structures that are preventing
(04:07):
people from receivingand getting good care?
Yeah.
So going back to an example,you introduced at the beginning the debate
around the language on paid careversus informal care,
unpaid carers versus informal carers.
One could argue that that is, that debateis a distraction
from the real issue, which is thatthis critical role in our society
(04:30):
is undervalued and it's insufficientlyrewarded financially.
Shouldn't our attention be focussedon changing those conditions
rather than arguingand debating over the terminology?
I've just
said that, but I'm also thinking, though,that language remains really important
because language is a vital toolfor recognition.
(04:53):
And keeping with that examplethat you gave, I guess
using the term unpaid carer
rather than anything else doesexplicitly draw our attention to the fact
that what the person is doing isis labour, its work,
and that they're not being paidfor this work so it can signpost us
to those bigger structural issuesand to the things that need to be changed.
(05:18):
A third issue that we discussedwith our Voice forum
colleagues is the factthat language can be stigmatising.
So an example here,I think, is in the use of terms
such as dependent and dependency.
So these are terms that are commonly usedto describe people who receive care.
But I think that kind of languageconstructs people as passive,
(05:41):
as lacking in agency and can ignorethe reality that the care relationships
are frequently interdependentand people can be at the same time
both giving care and receiving care.
And this is certainly what we're findingin our work on borders and care.
But for example, older people that we'reinterviewing, they may need care.
(06:05):
They may receivecare themselves from their adult children,
but they're also doing a lot of work fortheir adult children, a lot of care work
that they're looking after, the children,that picking them up from school
and really taking care of their families.
So we need to ensure that the languagewe use
is reflective of those realities.
And I think, as you've saidin previous discussions,
(06:26):
that you and I have had, thatthis is a matter
that has been raised consistentlyby the disabled rights movement.
Yeah, indeed.
So the final theme that we're goingto introduce and run through the series
is the issue of the languageused within the social care
system itself and by the professionalswho work within it.
(06:47):
A voice for our members told usthat they experience
that language is often opaque,and this also constantly changing.
They explained that those factorsworking together
mean that people who do not knowthe right language.
So what's the right languageto use to get the services,
(07:08):
the support that they need, that
these people risk being excludedand having their needs are met.
So these are the key themes
that will run throughout the podcastmini series,
and we're really looking forwardto picking up on these throughout.
And we will have a range of differentepisodes covering different topics.
And in those we will havea range of guests with different types
(07:30):
of expertisewho we will discuss these with.
So thank you very much and we're lookingforward to creating the mini series.
(07:56):
For.
The Care Matters podcast is
brought to youby the ESRC Centre for Care and Circle,
the Centre for International Researchon Care, Labour
and Equalities.
In this series, our researcherswelcome experts in the field
and those giving or receiving careto discuss crucial issues in social care.
(00:27):
As we collectively attemptto make a positive difference to how care
is experienced and provided.
Hello.
My name is Majella Kilkey, I'm professorof social policy at the University
of Sheffield, where I'm alsoa co-investigator in the Centre for Care.
(00:48):
And in the Centre for Care,I lead the research group ‘Care
Trajectories and Constraints’.
Hi everyone.
My name is Jayanthi Linghamand I am a research associate
in the centre for care here at Sheffieldand I'm working with Majella
within the research group CareTrajectories and Constraints,
and we're working together on a researchstudy called Borders in Care,
(01:10):
which is looking at the lived
experiences of peoplewho have crossed international borders,
who are now in the UKand have care, experiences and needs.
So this is an
introduction to a podcast mini series,which is called How Language Matters,
and it's part of the Centre's care Matterspodcast series.
(01:33):
In our early co-production work,it became quite clear to us
that it's it's really importantfor us to think about the language
that we use around carewhen we're communicating our research
and when we're communicatingwith potential research participants.
And the language that we use needsto be reflective of people's realities.
For example, the terms that we usewhen we're talking about carers,
(01:56):
do we use the term unpaid carers orinformal carer to describe what people do?
Do we even use the word carer?
How reflectiveis it of the reality that people provide
and receive and need careall at the same time?
Another issue that has comeup, particularly in the Borders and Care
study, relates to how we use languagein the process of doing research.
(02:18):
So we can't assume that peoplewill communicate in English
or even a dominant other language,such as Hindi or French.
And we need to make sure that thatthat the language tools that we use in
research are inclusive.
And we also need to be awarethat people communicate non-verbally
as well as verbally, and may prefer
to communicate and participate in researchwith us non-verbally.
(02:41):
So we want to pick up on theseand other matters,
and we're doing so in this podcastmini series.
The themes and topics that we're goingto cover in the rest of the mini series
are not actually specificto their research group.
Care trajectories and constraints,or to borders and care.
They're relevant,we think, to all of the research
(03:02):
that's been carried outwithin the centre for care.
So in this
introduction to the podcast mini series,we want to set out
some of the common themes we intend to runthrough the series as a whole.
These themes were identifiedin collaboration with the centre for Care
Voice Forum, and we gratefully acknowledge
the valuable contribution Voice Forummembers have made.
(03:24):
So in total, we have four key themes
that we want to introducein this introduction.
And actually, as you were saying,Majella, the Voice forum has played
a really valuable role in
in helping signpostwhat these common themes are going to be.
And one of the dominant ones that thatone of them raised is a bigger question.
We're talking about language in this miniseries, but it's talking about language,
(03:47):
a distractionfrom talking about the real issues.
So we need to really be awareall the way throughout this series
that it's not enoughto only change our language.
We also need to be thinking abouthow do we challenge
the structures, the economic structures,
the political structures,the social structures that are preventing
(04:07):
people from receivingand getting good care?
Yeah.
So going back to an example,you introduced at the beginning the debate
around the language on paid careversus informal care,
unpaid carers versus informal carers.
One could argue that that is, that debateis a distraction
from the real issue, which is thatthis critical role in our society
(04:30):
is undervalued and it's insufficientlyrewarded financially.
Shouldn't our attention be focussedon changing those conditions
rather than arguingand debating over the terminology?
I've just
said that, but I'm also thinking, though,that language remains really important
because language is a vital toolfor recognition.
(04:53):
And keeping with that examplethat you gave, I guess
using the term unpaid carer
rather than anything else doesexplicitly draw our attention to the fact
that what the person is doing isis labour, its work,
and that they're not being paidfor this work so it can signpost us
to those bigger structural issuesand to the things that need to be changed.
(05:18):
A third issue that we discussedwith our Voice forum
colleagues is the factthat language can be stigmatising.
So an example here,I think, is in the use of terms
such as dependent and dependency.
So these are terms that are commonly usedto describe people who receive care.
But I think that kind of languageconstructs people as passive,
(05:41):
as lacking in agency and can ignorethe reality that the care relationships
are frequently interdependentand people can be at the same time
both giving care and receiving care.
And this is certainly what we're findingin our work on borders and care.
But for example, older people that we'reinterviewing, they may need care.
(06:05):
They may receivecare themselves from their adult children,
but they're also doing a lot of work fortheir adult children, a lot of care work
that they're looking after, the children,that picking them up from school
and really taking care of their families.
So we need to ensure that the languagewe use
is reflective of those realities.
And I think, as you've saidin previous discussions,
(06:26):
that you and I have had, thatthis is a matter
that has been raised consistentlyby the disabled rights movement.
Yeah, indeed.
So the final theme that we're goingto introduce and run through the series
is the issue of the languageused within the social care
system itself and by the professionalswho work within it.
(06:47):
A voice for our members told usthat they experience
that language is often opaque,and this also constantly changing.
They explained that those factorsworking together
mean that people who do not knowthe right language.
So what's the right languageto use to get the services,
(07:08):
the support that they need, that
these people risk being excludedand having their needs are met.
So these are the key themes
that will run throughout the podcastmini series,
and we're really looking forwardto picking up on these throughout.
And we will have a range of differentepisodes covering different topics.
And in those we will havea range of guests with different types
(07:30):
of expertisewho we will discuss these with.
So thank you very much and we're lookingforward to creating the mini series.
(07:56):
For.
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