A staff member plays a game with a senior citizen at a community elderly service center in Zouping County of east China's Shandong Province, Oct. 14, 2018. (Photo/Xinhua)
Chongqing - A viral video on China’s TikTok-like platform Douyin shows a bodyguard team offering a new service called “outsourced children.” In the clip, team members look after an elderly woman whose daughter lives overseas, visiting her in the hospital, attending to her daily needs, and asking noisy patients to keep quiet.
A Can's Leiting Bodyguard Team, composed of veterans, initially specialized in private security, domestic violence intervention, and anti-bullying services. Their new "outsourced children" business began unexpectedly after a client asked, "Can you check in on my dad for me?"
These “sons,” though unrelated by blood, accompany seniors to medical appointments, shop for groceries, chat with them, and even help mediate disputes—providing tangible support for the elderly. A Can stated that all services are legal, fully recorded, and strictly within professional boundaries.
According to the 2024 National Bulletin on the Development of the Aging Cause, by the end of 2024, China had over 310 million people aged 60 and above. Data from the Fifth National Sample Survey on the Living Conditions of Urban and Rural Elderly People shows that 14.2% of elderly people now live alone.
As more seniors face illness or loneliness while their children live far away—or have none at all—the rise of "outsourced children" offers a glimpse into how society is adapting to an aging era, blending compassion with commerce.
Many people offer the "outsourced children" online. On Xianyu, one of China's largest second-hand goods platforms, searching for the keyword "outsourced children" yields numerous listings for such services, with prices negotiable.
The phenomenon has sparked widespread discussion on Chinese social media. Some users praised the service. For children who cannot be with their parents, having someone check in on and chat with them can provide emotional comfort for their elders.
Some have raised concerns that "outsourced children" are not certified caregivers and may lack the skills to handle emergencies. There are worries about potential legal disputes or financial conflicts with seniors, and cautions that because these "children" are not biological, the paid nature of the relationship could, if broken, cause emotional harm to the elderly.
“On the positive side, the Leiting Bodyguard Team's expansion into ‘outsourced children’ care reflects the flexibility of the labor market and signals the rise of the silver economy”, said Tu Yongqian, a research fellow with the National Academy of Development & Strategy at Renmin University of China, in an interview with Cover News.
But he warned that commercialized companionship could heighten psychological dependence among some elderly individuals, and interruptions in service might deepen emotional gaps. Concerns also exist regarding the regulation of service providers' qualifications, the risk of overreliance on market-based services at the expense of family responsibility, and the absence of clear industry standards.
"This service reflects not that elderly people want to 'buy children,' but that they yearn to be cared for, understood, and protected," Tu added.
He believes that an ideal approach in the future is a multi-layered eldercare support system built by communities, government, and social organizations, with market-based services supplementing rather than replacing it.
He also emphasized that integrating mental health support, legal protections, and industry regulations is essential, noting that "the real solution ultimately lies in balancing social governance and family responsibility."