"12-year-old Melissa and 14-year-old Ryan are two of the 175,000 young carers in Britain today. For the past five years they've taken on the household responsibilities, looking after their mum who suffers from mental and physical illnesses. How will they cope with their mum's increasing ill health and be able to lead their own lives?"
Watch it. Then see my thread re Barnardo's/Blue Peter's Young Carers campaign (I'm sure it will be mentioned on the prog)