Children and Migration

Millions of children around the world are affected by migration. This includes girls and boys who migrate within and between countries (usually with their families but sometimes on their own), as well as children ‘left behind’ when their parents or caregivers migrate in search of economic opportunities. Be it forced or voluntary, by adults or children, migration affects children’s care situations and can entail risks to their protection.

Children on the move: Like adults, children often migrate in an attempt to build a better life – to escape poverty, discrimination or conflict, and to find education, employment and other opportunities. Others relocate due to an unstable or difficult family environment, such as the loss of a parent, or neglect or abuse from a caregiver. Children may migrate with or without their families, and their movements may be temporary, seasonal or permanent.

While migration can open up new opportunities for children, it can also expose them to harmful care situations, chronic poverty, violence and exploitation. During transit and at their destination, migrant children may end up in unsafe institutions, detention centres, on the streets or in overcrowded, poor-quality accommodation. Others who migrate to join households (e.g. for fostering, education, domestic work or apprenticeships) may be subjected to exploitation. Many migrant children, particularly those without documentation, end up without access to education, protection or basic services, while discrimination and language barriers make it difficult for them to reintegrate into new communities.

Children left behind. An increasing number of children around the world are also adversely affected when migrating parents leave home to seek out employment or economic opportunities (often in urban centres). While children may gain materially from remittances sent home, the absence of a parent may be detrimental to their social and psychological development. In particular, the nature and quality of children’s care relationships may suffer as they adjust to life without a loved caregiver and try to replace a physically and emotionally nurturing relationship with someone new.

Studies from around the world indicate that children left behind by migrating caretakers face education, health and psychosocial problems, including deteriorating academic performance and lower school attendance, greater risk of drug abuse, early pregnancy, involvement in criminal activities and social dysfunction. Left behind children may suffer from low self-esteem and feelings of abandonment, and in the worst cases may be vulnerable to violence, abuse and trafficking. While new or remaining caretakers can offer children a protective and caring environment they may also struggle to care for them without support, and breakdown of these relationships can sometimes result in children’s placement in harmful institutional care.

The documents in this section focus on the impact of migration on children’s care situations, and outline policy, advocacy and programmatic measures to enhance child migrants’ protection.

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Study on the Status of Health Service Utilization among 3–5 Years Old Left-Behind Children in Poor Rural Areas of Hunan Province, China: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Yufeng Ouyang, Jiaojiao Zou, Meimei Ji, Yefu Zhang, Tong Yuan, Lina Yang, and Qian Lin - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 04 Jan 2019

This study evaluated the health service needs of left-behind children ages 3-5 years old in Hunan Province, China.

Meta‐analysis of the mental health status of left‐behind children in China

Wei Wu, Guangbo Qu, Lingling Wang, Xue Tang, Ye‐Huan Sun - Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 02 Jan 2019

The aims of this study were to systematically evaluate and comparatively analyse the mental health status of left‐behind children (LBC) in China and to provide a scientific basis for mental intervention and healthy education for LBC.

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Migratory trauma in unaccompanied minors in Africa. Analysis of vulnerability and adaptation factors

Dorottya Szikra, Rahmeth Radjack, Kossigan Kokou-Kpolou, Thierry Baubet, Marie Rose Moro - L'information psychiatrique, 2019

This study explores conceptions of the notion of unaccompanied minors (UM) in Senegal and analyzes the resources and coping mechanisms of these minors when confronted with migratory traumas.

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Without my Family: The impact of family separation on child refugees in the UK

Helen Connolly - Amnesty International UK, the Refugee Council and Save the Children, 2019

In this report, Amnesty International UK, the Refugee Council and Save the Children expose how the UK Government’s policy on refugee family reunion is damaging the lives of children in the UK, and how its justifications for the policy are unsubstantiated.

Assessment of a Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Program for Unaccompanied Foreign Minors in Street Situations

Elisa García-España & Jacqueline Carvalho da Silva - Criminology - The Online Journal, 2019

This paper presents a juvenile delinquency prevention program for unaccompanied foreign minors in street situations in Ceuta, Spain. The main objective is to assess the implementation and results of this program.

Balkans Migration and Displacement Hub Data and Trend Analysis: Regional overview (July-September 2019)

Katarina Jovanovic - Save the Children in North West Balkans, 2019

Data and Trend Analysis (DATA) Refugees and Migrants at the Western Balkans Route Regional Overview, covering period July - September 2019, describes key trends in migrations in the region, detailing information about the number of people on the move, demography (age, sex, country of origin, etc), behavioral patterns, and routes in use - with a focus on children, particularly unaccompanied children.

The Provision of Foster Care for Unaccompanied Migrant Children: Some considerations

Dr. Muireann Ní Raghallaigh - FORUM, 2019

This article is written as part of the FORUM project (FOR Unaccompanied Minors: transfer of knowledge for professionals to increase foster care), an EU funded project which sought to enhance the capacity of professionals to provide quality foster care for unaccompanied migrant children, primarily through the transfer of knowledge. The article aims to contribute to this transfer of knowledge by bringing together literature which is of relevance to professionals developing or enhancing foster care services for unaccompanied migrant children.

Unaccompanied Migrant Minors Detention Before the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

Veljko Turanjanin - Yearbook - Human Rights Protection: Protection of the Rights of the Child “30 Years After the Adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child” Number 2, 2019

In this article, the author deals with one of the most problematic issues of the migrant crisis, namely the deprivation of liberty of a unaccompanied migrant minor in his or her migrant journey.

LAC Migration and Displacement Hub

Save the Children, 2019

This brief provides an overview of the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and Migration Hub, established by Save the Children in Panama to support migration work in the region.

Thailand Migration Report 2019

United Nations Thematic Working Group on Migration in Thailand, 2019

The Thailand Migration Report 2019, jointly produced by members of the United Nations Thailand Working Group on Migration, contains 11 chapters covering themes such as working conditions, access to services, remittances, human trafficking and exploitation. UNICEF, along with UNESCO, has co-authored Chapter 6 on Strengthening Access to Services for Migrant Children in Thailand.