In brief
Across China's crowded metros, a surprising new service is taking root: hired companions pose as children to provide care and company for older adults and even busy parents. The trend, dubbed the "loneliness economy", is highlighted by BBC correspondent Stephen McDonell’s visit to a business that matches volunteers with families. Workers, screened and trained, spend evenings playing games, doing yard work, and simply being there—activities that older citizens say help stave off isolation. While critics worry about exploitation, proponents argue it offers a vital lifeline for aging populations in an era of rapid urbanization.
In the midst of China’s city crowds, a quiet loneliness is spreading—so quietly that it has come to life in paid “temporary children” who step in as stand‑in kids, a new industry dubbed the "loneliness economy".
Steve McDonell, BBC China correspondent, snapped up an appointment with a local company that connects teenagers and young adults with families who need extra help and company. The firm’s staff—carefully vetted and with verified references—spend evenings playing board games, walking dogs, and simply chatting, acting as the modern day babysitter or family member for the elderly or for parents on a tight schedule.
“People don’t feel alone. They hurried through life and forgot to connect,” says one 78‑year‑old client, laughing as a ‘temporary child’ waves a kite. The practice has expanded beyond the metro, with digital platforms listing dozens of workers for hire, and with company owners reporting a steady rise in demand since the pandemic pushed firsthand interaction into the past.
Critics, however, caution that the industry risks turning compensation for companionship into a loophole for exploitation. The government has yet to roll out a regulatory framework, though local authorities are monitoring the sector closely to ensure workers’ safety and fair pay.
For now, the scour of urban isolation finds a quick-fix answer in a pair of shoes that can be swapped in at a moment’s notice—providing a touch of family life in a nation where the speed of technology has outpaced the pace of human connection.
