Internationally transferable policy solutions for supporting employed end of life family caregivers: Canadian compassionate care benefit

Background Policy and employment legislation are key for supporting employed end of life family caregivers. The Canadian Compassionate Care Benefit is one example of a benefit which supports employed family carers, but the potential transferability of the Benefit to other countries has not been explored.

Aim The aim of this study was to explore the implementation and impact of the Canadian Compassionate Care Benefit and assess its potential transferability to comparable countries.

Methods A multi-method design was used, incorporating an integrative review of published literature and qualitative interviews with stakeholders who had expertise with the Compassionate Care Benefit, from across Canada. The findings from the two phases were analysed separately and were integrated at the stage of interpretation.

Results Fourteen interviews were conducted with stakeholders, and sixteen relevant articles were identified from the integrative review. Whilst the CCB was viewed as an important support for carers, problems were highlighted which would need to be addressed to improve access and ensure equity in other countries or settings. The results highlight the importance of a receptive socio-political landscape in driving policy change, noting political incentives and individual champions as key for negotiating policy prioritization. The lack of evidence on cost-effectiveness may impede international transferability or policy expansion.

Conclusion Whilst the Compassionate Care Benefit has been conceived and implemented specifically for the Canadian context, there may be potential for it to be adapted for other comparable countries. Further research on the Compassionate Care Benefit, particularly around cost-effectiveness, would support international policy transfer.