Kids Taking Care of Their Big Family | Our Lives: Young Carers | Real Families 

My mom is blind and has three children. I am the eldest. I was NEVER made to take care of my siblings, except for of course the occasional date night babysitting or what have you when I was 14 and older. She simply got creative - put different textured stickers and velcro on appliances to tell the buttons apart; arranged the house in a certain way and we all knew not to rearrange it so she knew how to get around safely. She would take taxis to our school functions or have neighbors take us places we needed to go. My mom was the most involved, loving, and attentive parent we could ever ask for. Blindness is not an excuse for doing this to your children...

I dont blame the parents for being blind But i do blame the parents for having 7 children

These children are not "heroes of society" they are innocent victims of abusive parents

"We want to prove we can do it." But you're not doing it. Your kids are doing it!

Smoking in the house whilst pregnant, baby on the dirty floor sleeping in dirty clothes lord this makes me angry 👎🏾

Quite frankly the camera crew should be obligated to report this family. The people who clean the house 2 hours a week should be reporting the conditions. This is not ok

When he said “ we had lots of children so they can take care of us when we’re older “ I felt so bad for the kids

I just rocked my 5 year old to sleep because she loves it...that poor little girl being sat down at 3 YEARS OLD and told she needs to be a caregiver is utterly heartbreaking 💔

The moment I heard she's pregnant again, I lost it.

The mum finishing her cigarette at three months pregnant then stepping over her baby son sleeping on the floor says it all

I just googled them and child services were involved only hours after the show aired.

Breaks my heart hearing Jenny’s voice break as she said she wished her parents weren’t blind…bc I think blind or sighted they’d be exactly the same. Blind parents take care of their children every day and fight against being seen like these people. Their children are clean, fed, and well cared for…by their PARENTS. They could do more, but it’s easier to pick up a beer and a smoke and wait for the girls to do it all. These people are pathetic.

young carer sounds like a fancy name for “child neglect victim”

that oldest girl has already cut off her emotions ..trouble ahead

Seeing her cry and make sandwiches broke my heart. The mom only getting up to check the kids lip only after the interviewer says something angered me.

That dad are you kidding me can't change a diaperrr..but pour a beer an cigarette..mother smoking with dad just chilling while kids doing all the worrrkk..makes me sicckk

As a disabled parent, I feel somehow offended by those parents.

The girls aren’t giving the parents a break, the girls are doing the full time parenting role these lazy adults should be doing. My heart is breaking for the girls and my stomach is turning at how neglected all of the children are.

Makes me wonder who looked after the first two before they were old enough to take care of themselves.

I hope the eldest girls are now living a happy healthy life. The 2 blind parents should be ashamed taking advantage of their older kids. Breaks my heart

There’s a difference between blind and lazy.

The father said ” if they got a problem we're here for them ” Honey!! You and your wife are the “ PROBLEM “

The poor babies are so dirty, this is a shame, they all should be removed from there care, blindness doesn't equal laziness, these ppl are just lazy

Did anyone else find it chilling at how the older sister smiled when she was talking about Jenny attempting suicide? What a sad and tragic situation. 🙁

If Dad can see well enough to read, he can help care for the children. Neither of the parents are totally blind. They can do way more than they are. Their kids are being used as loving servants.

I didn't see the mother actively care for one of her children or take responsibility once. You don't need vision to feed with a bottle or soothe a crying baby. Zero effort.

We just gonna ignore the fact that the baby was being thrown bread like a duck and was eating it off the floor.

I hate HATE how everyone only mentions “poor Jenny” and won’t even use Louise’s name or acknowledge she is just as much the victim. Because she’s not as bubbly and cute and has lashed out at the other kids stemming obviously from her own depression and unbearable burdens and a complete lack of even ONE person loving or hugging her. How could she ever be normal. “Smiling” when she’s talking about her sisters attempt and saying she doesn’t care is a coping strategy and and trying to mask fear and anxiety. She was also Jenny’s age a couple years before and nobody said “ poor girl I want to rescue her” then either. A hopeless child is a child who can not mature emotionally or develop properly. Don’t blame her for that. She most of all needs intervention because she has suffered the most.

Him: "I've always wanted to be a father" Everyone else including his own children: "So be one" 😒

So, the dad can apparently see well enough to read with a magnifyer, and navigate a scooter through city streets and walk around the city...but cannot take care of the kids? I call lazy parent status here!

The only thing I keep noticing is how dirty the little ones are😥...and how dirty the house is...I can smell it through the phone😭😥😥

I feel so bad for the girls. The answer 'I like having lots of kids around because they can look after us when we're older' ... really just made my stomach drop. The eldest daughter really is doing her best but it's plain to see that there is a quiet resentment of her siblings. It's normal for siblings to not get along now and again but the way she is with her sister who co-parents and when she says she's not a cuddly person... I just felt like even if she isn't aware of it yet, she's angry at her situation. I hope that their parents will accept the help that's offered and stop having children in order to basically breed a crew of caretakers.

Louisa has no emotion at all. She hits all the kids and feels no remorse at all. Mom saying the older girls give them a break because they have things to do. Give them a break? From what? Parenting? They had no business having kids!

“When we get older they can help us out” They deadass do everything already wtf you mean😳

This is the type of couple who should NOT have children. The mother is smoking and knows she's pregnant? And that poor baby sleeping on the floor and they leave him there, the older siblings doing all the work, ugh so many things about this.

the blind parents are such a 'behind closed doors' family - so proud of appearing independent and yet they don't care past that. i honestly don't think it occurs to them that 'raising' kids means more than making sure their basic needs are met through some method or another. i genuinely think they believe they're good parents

Amanda: if we are busy with other things, we ask them (the girls) to help us and give us a break Me: a break from WHAT???

Did I hear right, that those babies don't get their nappies changed till the two oldest get home???? 😭 Selfishness at its finest these two🤬

Really bothered me watching him throw bread to that sweet baby on that dirty floor like he was a dog.

I am not one bit impressed with these “parents!” When I saw the mother smoking a cigarette after just announcing she was pregnant with baby #7, that showed how much she truly cared about her children. Social services needs to step in & intervene on behalf of these kids!!!

this 15 year old shows signs of serious emotional disturbance. Bless her heart for helping, but obviously she did'nt get enough affection so thus doesn't show the little ones affection. She takes it out on her sister who is the other half of the help. This whole family situation needs intervention NOW.

If you can see enough to light a cigarette and pour your alcohol into a glass, you can see enough to change your children's diapers. This is absolutely disgusting.

Ugh. They little girl is changing a diaper while her parents are outside chilling. Ugh. This makes me angry

“Her mother didn’t think she’d cope with one child, but she’s been coping with six children.” Sir - your children are coping for your other children

The saddest part about this documentary is that these parents think that they've "proved" that they can be parents, when in reality, their children have proven that they don't need their parents for necessities.

This was one of the most disturbing videos I have seen in a long time...

She can't see anything yet she saw the baby on the floor and stepped over him? They are both blind but yet keep finding each other well enough to keep getting pregnant.

This fell on me like a tonne of bricks, I hope this kids found the help and safety they so badly needed

Jenny literally tried to kill herself and they asked the parents what they thought of that and all they had to say is “i DoNt KnOW whY sHE’d dO tHat” makes me wanna cry I just hope they all are ok now.

“ i like having lots of children so they can look after me when I get old” now that is really wrong

When the dad said: “we want to show people we can do it” I can’t believe he is still saying we since THEIR children are taking care of the whole family...

The fact that the little ones are kept in dirty nappies for four hours that while the kids are at school is shocking

You know that mother wouldn’t of checked on Matt’s lip if the interviewer didn’t bring it up

I just want to hug and cuddle those kids. Mom and dad are so distant with kids and it’s ruining those children.

While the daughters busy to take care of their siblings, the parents just smoking and chill in front of the house. SICK

"We wanted to have a large family so they can help us when we are older" has to be one of the most selfish statements a parent can make. Those children especially the two older girls don't own their parents anything. I hope the girls are doing better

I don’t understand why they keep producing more kids when they can not provide for the ones they have. This is child abuse.

The “mother” wasn’t even going to check on the child’s lip until the reporter asked her if she was going to! All the mother does is sit and play with her hair.

Can we just have a moment to appreciate Jenny and how loving and caring she is

Paul and Amanda are NOT fiercely independent. They are incredibly dependent ON THEIR CHILDREN!

this is one of the saddest videos I've ever seen..

This is heartbreaking, the oldest daughter is already showing signs of resentment and anger. The mother is far more concerned with her cigarette than her infant sleeping on a filthy floor. I know a totally blind adult that is able to keep a clean home and has a successful career. If these parents pride (refusing further assistance) is being put ahead of their children's safety, health and happiness then they are not putting their children's welfare first.

”The parents are fiercely independent and refuse to accept help” - clearly they are not fiercely independent if they need to rely so heavily on a 9-year-old and a 12-year-old! Forcing your kids to do your work for you is not being independent, it is being irresponsible. They should make sure to get outside help so that the kids can be kids. The two older ones should be able to be regular big sisters to their younger siblings and help out, but they shouldn't have to take on parental responsibility.

How often the blind parents said "we haven't thought about that really" is crazy to me 😮😠 The mom might be on the Autism Spectrum as well... the oldest daughter too, maybe... or she's just heavily traumatized and depressed.

I wonder if Jenny’s suicide attempt was motivated by her unreasonable load of responsibilities, her lack of positive attention from her parents and older sister, and I wonder if she noticed how much loving attention her brother Shane receives from the grave and thought that she might be remembered in respect and love more dead than alive. The whole family seems numb to true emotions. Poor Jenny. Poor children.

For anyone looking for an update: Child services received over 30 calls the evening that this show originally aired on TV in the UK and the family was investigated, but I cannot find any follow up on that and what came of it. The parents were also harassed after the show aired and their home was vandalized multiple times. They refused to take any responsibility and say that the documentary portrayed them unfairly (go figure 🙄). Louise is active on social media and seems to be doing relatively well. She has several dogs that she dottes on, as well as several cats. Seems to spend a lot of time in nature with the doggos. I imagine that the animals fill a void of love and affection that she didn't receive from her parents and family :/ that's just my speculation though. There are also some sad posts about wanting to be dead, feeling alone and unloved :( they're few and far between but it's heartbreaking because you know her upbringing was rough and emotionally neglectful :( I hope she finds happiness. Jenny is less active on social media but she is employed, seems happy, and has a small daughter who looks happy, healthy and clean. All of her and Louise's photos are either in a clean and well kept house or outside. Don't know who's house but I'm glad they're out of the dirty and run down house from this documentary.

My heart breaks for Jenny. She's being abused by literally everyone, yet she's the one looking after all of them!😭💔

I wonder how are these kids now? This is not only child abuse by their parents, but also by the goverment, this is ultrageus! I hope they are okay, the sadness these two older CHILDREN show is heartbreaking :(

Anyone find it creepy how the oldest smiled talking about her sister attempting to kill herself, emotionally disturbed, please help them

The little boy is screaming while having his diaper changed because his bottom is so gaulded from sitting in his own mess all day until his sister came home from school to change him. This breaks my heart.

That 9 year old is an angel sent straight from heaven on the express flight straight to this unfortunate family. 😞

Lazy selfish creatures. These "parents" are too blind to change boys' nappies but not this blind to light up the cigarettes, open and pour the beer or make coffee for themselves 😮 Giving birth to children to use them as servants is unacceptable! Feel sorry for all 6 kids 😢 Hope they safely grew up and had recovered from their traumatic childhood 🫶

Out of all the kids I feel the worst for the 9 year old. She seems to be the one who’s not only doing things for the kids but also showing them some sort of affection when she gets none in return from her older sister and her parents. And on top of that she’s hit by her sister but she’s so sweet to her younger siblings unlike the eldest.

" YOUNG CARERS" should be abolished!! Who in their right mind thinks it's OK for a child to have 100% responsability for their parents (and/or siblings)??? NO CHILD should have to go through that. "Because they will not acceot help from Social Services" ????!!! To allow this to happen is child abuse from the government... So sad!

I felt an unimaginable amount of stress while watching this. I can't imagine how these kids feel. breaks my heart!

This is horrifying!!! I just want to hug these kids. They don’t deserve this life.

Those parents should be in jail for neglect, using their children as slave labor . Nobody gets so much as a kiss or a hug how horrible is this family, those poor children. My heart was breaking from this entire show.

I absolutely hate when they leave the baby lying around face down on the floor, on the couch! I feel so bad for these children. God be with them

I’d be dissolving birth control in my moms drinks every day if I was that oldest girl

I know this is old, but my goodness, I hope someone stepped in for those girls. The mother obviously has more than just sight problems. She seems very delayed in many ways, this was so heart breaking and disgusting. No child should live this way and it seems like social services failed this family.

I’m somebody with a visual impairment and a teacher of mine is totally blind and had a family, they can take care of the children just fine! Being blind is no excuse for being horrible parents！

Wild animals take better care of their young than this couple.

Her miscarriages are a blessing in their case...... They don't need no more kids to neglect

My mom went blind when I was 10, she was able to care for us even though she couldn’t see. She was totally blind. I realize everyone is different, but goodness.

it broke my heart when the little sister cried while she made the sandwiches

I am horrified by the conditions of the home and the children’s emotions.

He can see that stinking beer in his glass! He can see to light the cigarette! But can't change a diaper during the day. 😡

Young Carers Association?!? That fact that they’ve had to create support groups for CHILDREN looking after their siblings speaks volumes. How is that okay?!?

6:07 *He's blind but he did see the child laying on the floor and didn't step on him...but he did not pick him up.. I am really heartbroken for their children*

The oldest girl is not in a good place with her life she's obviously not happy

Heinous. Damn near criminal, I'd dare say. Why keep having children to force them in to this child labor, in hideous, dirty, nasty, cigarette smoke filled conditions? Disgustingly selfish. 6 children, 1 on the way and they can't even take care of themselves, let alone the children they already have!! Ugh. This sickens me, and I hope there is a brighter future for these children. I am beyond sad for the sad state of affairs they live with.

Paul: Jenny was at risk of losing her place as a "young carer" if she didn't help out. The whole reason Jenny stopped helping and even attempted SUICIDE was because she was sick to death of being a young carer. At 8 years old she didn't care about the 2 hours a week of play, she needed to be allowed to be a kid every day. I can't believe her father was confused about that. Or maybe he intentionally overlooked it so he wouldn't have to face the reality that he was abusing and neglecting his girls.

Why on earth did they keep having child after child?? Seriously, how dare they?

When she said that her sister hurt her and the parents didn’t do anything. I feel so bad for her.

In their interview, they claimed that the documentary crew had the girls do more than they usually would to make things more interesting...but you can 100% tell that it never even occured to her to check on her injured, bleeding, screaming child until the film crew suggested it. You can still soothe and care for a child while someone else doctors a cut but she couldn't be bothered.

She likes a big family because they can help out as they grow older. What are they doing now? Robbing their children of a life.

Their disability is no excuse for them to neglect their kids I have seen parents without any limps take care of their children better

Those kids need baths. Watching this was driving me crazy; I wanted to vacuum and clean the floors and get those kids in the bath.

At 8:10 Interviewer says to the mother, "what do you like about having lots of children around?" The mother replies, "So they can help us when we get older." The father replies, "The more children we have, the more they than can help us out, so it's not a burden on just one child." Oh thank goodness, I thought they were going to say they have lots of children because they love them, and want to make sure their kids have a happy childhood, and that when they grow up, they too will have a loving family and lifelong happiness as well. People disgust me. SMH

2 words for those poor kids expected to care for their parents when they are older ...'nursing home'