I want to draw your attention to this article, a couple of years old, but still relevant today
It’s wrong, but we’ve lost the middle ground between making children responsible and resilient and putting upon them.
www.theguardian.com/society/2013/may/16/thousands-children-caregivers-family-data
Nearly 10,000 children aged five to seven are acting as unpaid carers for family members or guardians, according to figures that have been published which were described by one children's charity as the tip of the iceberg.
The data, compiled from the 2011 census, shows nearly a quarter of a million people under 19 in England and Wales were caring for parents, siblings and others – coping with pressures which charities say cause many to fall behind in school and miss out on their own childhoods.
An 80% increase in the number of five to seven-year-old carers in England over the last decade was one of the starker trends to emerge, although observers suggest this may be because the size of this group was under-reported in the past.
Of the 9,985 five- to seven-year-olds providing care, 1,642 are doing so for more than 50 hours a week, and 1,166 for between 20 and 49 hours. In the eight- to nine-year-old age bracket, 12,148 children are giving care, 1,520 for more than 50 hours a week and 1,204 for between 20 and 49 hours. Statistics on the levels of health among child carers revealed that more than 2,400 had bad or very bad health, while more than 9,000 said it was "fair".
Case study: 'I had to grow up'
For Jack Garrigan, the moment he had to very quickly start taking on adult responsibilities came last year when his mother, Louise, lost her sight after the sudden onset of a rare virus.
"Mum was in hospital for a month and it was over four weeks that I had to grow up really," says the 15-year-old, who, along with his sister Laura, 10, is among nearly a quarter of a million children in England and Wales caring for a relative.
In the case of the Garrigan family, from the Blackley district of Manchester, it involves Jack stepping in to cook, shop and, in his mother's words, ensure the household keeps running.
"The three of us work as a team, so we all do our bit," he says. "On a typical morning for example my sister would help my mum get dressed and I would prepare the breakfast and make sure that Laura is looking nice for school too."
The routine takes its toll – "Sometimes you can get tired, especially when there are school exams going on as well" – and the he admits to missing some things that other 15-year-olds enjoy. "I used to go to a drama club workshop but I can't do it any longer because there is no way of getting there and I have too much to do," he says.
But he adds matter-of-factly: "At the end of the day she is my mum and whatever I do, I do it because I have to and because I want to."
Concerned that her son is playing down his role in the family, Mrs Garrigan adds: "I don't think he really knows how much he does because it's so constant and we are in a routine now. He does my tablets and prescriptions. He basically keeps the house going."