There has been a lot of research into the extent and nature of caring by adults in Northern Ireland. For
example, data from the 2006 Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) Survey found that 23% of adults had some  caring responsibilities and women were more likely to be carers than men (Evason, 2007). Much less research hasbeen carried out on the situation of young carers. Anecdotally, we know that there are many young people who have extra responsibilities because they look after someone who is sick, disabled or elderly, either inside or  outside their own home. However,there is a dearth of information about this informal care and the type of young people who are engaged in caring.According to Crossroads (2008) more than 8,500 children and young people in Northern Ireland provide care carrying out tasks that are normally done by adults such as cleaning, cooking and other domestic chores.