Edinburgh Projects Mark Young Carers Awareness Day
New survey results published today reveal up to 80% of young carers are missing out on their childhoods because they are caring for family and friends.
This is according to research carried out by Carers Trust, the UK's largest charity for carers.
Instead of seeing friends, enjoying hobbies and completing their homework, these children, as young as 5-years-old, are cleaning, cooking, administering medicine, shopping and looking after a brother or sister - along with many other daily tasks.
This new data has been released today to mark the charity's national Young Carers Awareness Day.
The day shines a spotlight on the vast range of tasks these children carry out, day-in-day-out - highlighting how children are missing out on their childhoods because they are looking after their parents or siblings.
Today's day of action for young carers includes numerous 'audience with young carers' events taking place across the country, in a bid to help identify others who may not know they are a young carer, and help them to receive the help and support they desperately need.