At the start of Carers Week last week, the Children's Society and the YMCA said statistics from the latest census showed that 943 children aged between five and seven spent more time caring than the maximum adult working week, while at the same time trying to keep up their attendance at primary school. In Scotland, 100 five- to seven-year-olds provided the same service to their families.
Jenny Frank, young carers co-ordinator of the Children's Society, said, 'It is staggering that children as young as five are spending more time caring at home than they spend at school. Too many children are caring too much, too young.'
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