The U.S. Relies on Family Caregivers. Millions of Them Are Kids.

Millions of children in the United States provide unpaid caregiving work for family members, according to data on informal care arrangements. The U.S. health care system often depends on household members to assist with medical tasks, transportation, and daily living needs when professional care is unavailable or unaffordable. Children serving as caregivers may miss school, experience financial strain on their families, or face limits on their own activities, according to research on youth caregiving.

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