Conclusion

This report paints a portrait of caring Black men, rendering them visible by showing who they are, what they do, how they feel about their caregiving experience, and how they fit care into their lives. In their roles caring for adults or children with special needs, Black men who fulfill the role of high-intensity caregiver and/or parent are actively engaged in helping care recipients with activities of daily living as well as medical and health related tasks. Almost two-thirds of Black male HICPs have performed tasks that meet the daily and/or medical needs of care recipients.

Work is one major barrier that renders high-intensity care work challenging. Leaders in both the private and public sector will need to implement policies and practices amenable to the needs of Black male HICPs. Nearly half of all Black men providing high-intensity care anticipate needing to take leave for caregiving in the future. While half of all Black male HICPs also experience stress and work-family conflict, the vast majority find caregiving satisfying and feel respected as caregivers. Moving forward, further study should be done to investigate the experiences of Black male HICPs along the lines of income, geographic location, sexual orientation, and age.

Black men provide essential support and services to ensure the health and wellbeing of children with special needs and adults. As parents, Black fathers are actively engaged in raising the next generation. Ultimately, this report seeks to include Black men in the larger conversation around care and parenting to ensure that their experiences are represented, their labor is valued as part of the care economy, and their needs are acknowledged in ongoing family-supportive policymaking.