Grandmother Lu Guoxiu, 64, rubs warm water on the throat of grandson “left behind” child Luo Lie, 5, to help with his cough on December 15, 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)





“Left behind” children Luo Hongni, 11 (L) and brother Luo Gan,10, carry flowers to be used as feed while doing chores in the fields on December 18, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Hongniu, 8, does homework by flashlight at the family's home on December 15, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Hongni,11, waits outside her class at a local school on December 16, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Lie,5, picks flowers as he does chores in the fields with his siblings on December 18, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Hongniu, 8 (R) reads in class at a local school on December 16, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Hangni,11 (C), does exercises with classmates at a local school on December 16, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





Grandfather Luo Yingtao, 64, carries his grandson “left behind” child Luo Lie, 5, to bed at the family house on December 17, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Gan,10, tends to the family cows as he does chores with his siblings in the fields on December 17, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





Grandfather Luo Yingtao, 64, holds his grandson “left behind” child Luo Lie, 5, in his lap as they sit at the family house on December 15, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Lie,5, right, stands with friends at the gate to a local school on December 16, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





Grandfather Luo Yingtao, 64, smokes as he sits with his grandson Luo Gan, 10, at the family house on December 15, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Lie,5, right, walks home from school on December 16, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





Grandfather Luo Yingtao, 64, holds his sleeping grandson “left behind” child Luo Lie, 5, as they stay warm next to a fire at the family house on December 17, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Hongniu, 8, hangs laundry after washing clothes with her siblings on December 18, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Lie, 5, foreground right, listens as he sits in class at a local school on December 16, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Gan, 10, watches as his grandfather Luo Yingtao,64, carries hay as they do chores on December 16, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Hongni, 11, collapses from the weight as she carries flowers while doing chores in the fields on December 18, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Lie, 5, background right, do schoolwork in class at a local school on December 16, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Hongniu, 8 (C) washes clothes with brother Luo Gan, 10, and sister Luo Hongni, 11, right, outside the family house on December 18, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” childern is served lunch at a local school on December 16, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” children from left to right, Luo Gan, 10, Luo Hongni, 11, Luo Lie, 5, and Luo Hongniu, 8, eat together at the family home on December 18, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Lie, 5, keeps warm by a fire in the family home on December 17, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Hongniu , 8, leans on hay bales while doing chores on December 18, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” children from right to left, Luo Gan, 10, Luo Hongniu, 8, Luo Lie, 5, and Luo Hongni, 11, walk together while doing chores in the fields on December 18, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)





“Left behind” child Luo Hongniu, 8, holds flowers she picked while doing chores on December 18, 2016 in Anshun, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)