Some are even the primary carer, the only person providing care. Recent figures indicate there are as many as 51,000 young people in the UK under the age of 18 who provide support for a relative. Statistics are complicated as there is frequently a desire to 'keep it in the family'. With the break-up of so many couples from divorce none of us are exempt from the pain this causes the extended family. Yet so often other family members will try to fill the space left by an absent parent.
Grandparents find themselves parenting again, albeit part-time, to support a single parent.
Uncles, aunts and cousins may all rally round to provide the children with the roots they need in order to thrive. We all know of those who become blinkered to a growing situation around them and who do not let themselves 'see' that help is needed. These are the families which are unable to deal with the full impact when it hits. A family does not always consist only of blood relatives. Many 'families' are formed by groups of people who watch out for each other.