China's Left Behind Children

ANSHUN, CHINA - DECEMBER 16: (CHINA OUT) 'Left behind' child Luo Lie,5, background right, do schoolwork in class at a local school on December 16, 2016 in Anshun, China. Like millions of Chinese children, the four Luo siblings are being raised by their grandparents in rural China as their parents left to find work in urban areas. While there are no official figures, a recent government report puts the number of 'left behind' children at nearly 10 million, though child welfare experts estimate the number to be closer to 60 million. In the case of the Luo grandparents, who are elderly and poor, they do what they can to meet the basic needs of four children between the ages of 5 and 11. Local schools, educators and community charities often try to the fill the gaps. Still, many children feel the absence of interaction with their mother and/or father, creating a generation of lonely kids who experts worry may be prone to anxiety, poor school performance, and depression. Joining parents in the city is not usually an option, as China's hukou documentation system dictates that education and health care are accessible only in the district where a child is born and registered. China's government says it is making child welfare a national priority, and will work to improve support to 'left behind' children after launching its first-ever national census to assess the problem. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)