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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Leaving family behind: Understanding the irregular migration of unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors

Ignacio Correa-Velez, Mariana Nardone and Katharine Knoetze, 2017

This chapter from the book 'A long way to go: Irregular migration patterns, processes, drivers and decision-making,' discusses the global trends in the migration of unaccompanied minors in recent years.

Roadmap to Ending Child Immigration Detention: Milestones to Include in the Global Compacts

Initiative for Child Rights in the Global Compacts, 2017

This roadmap to ending the detention of children in immigration from the Initiative for Child Rights in the Global Compacts outlines the commitments, examples of practice, reference documents, and guidelines for each stage of the strategy from June 2019 to June 2025.

Psychosocial Care for Unaccompanied Minors in Europe: Is There an Economic Case? Discussion Paper

Italian Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (SISST) in partnership with Terre des Hommes International Federation (TDHIF), SISST and TDHIF as part of the Destination Unknown campaign, 2017

This document aims to provide an overview of the scope of activities of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in relation to the protection of unaccompanied migrant children and support for this group.

Особые Меры По Эвакуации Детей-Мигрантов: Контрольный Список-Справочник

International Organization for Migration (IOM), MICIC, 2017

Контрольный список входит в состав инструментария, разработанного МОМ в качестве технического руководства по практическому применению Руководящих положений Инициативы МИСИК, включая руководящее положение 13: Переселение и при необходимости эвакуация мигрантов. Это свод не имеющих обязательной силы рекомендуемых действий, направленных на то, чтобы потребности детей-мигрантов в особой защите были учтены в ходе гуманитарной эвакуации. С помощью этого функционального инструмента государства и международные организации смогут соблюсти принципы защиты детей (ЗД) при организации гуманитарной эвакуации, учитывая индивидуальные условия уязвимости детеймигрантов и обеспечивая их потребности до, во время и после эвакуации. Подразумевается, что рекомендуемые действия будут в полной мере внедрены в операции по всеобщей эвакуации; они не предполагают организации отдельного процесса эвакуации детей.

From Intercountry Adoption to Global Surrogacy: A Human Rights History and New Fertility Frontiers

Karen Smith Rotabi and Nicole F. Bromfield, 2017

Extracting on chronologic data, this book discusses the politics and practice of intercountry adoption starting with the state international adoption to in the 1950s continuing to present-day adoption practice and protections.

Immigration Enforcement & the Child Welfare System

Immigrant Legal Resource Center, 2017

This report from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center of the United States highlights the connections between US immigration policy and the child welfare system, particularly the criminalization of undocumented immigrants and its impact on foster care in the US.

Specialised Foster Care for Unaccompanied and Separated Children in Serbia

Save the Children, 2017

This Save the Children case study aims to briefly describe the process of developing specialised training package for foster care of Unaccompanied and Separated Children in Serbia, its key components and main lessons learned from the process.

Migration, Family Arrangement, and Children's Health in China

Youqin Huang, Qian Song, Ran Tao, Zai Liang - Child Development, 16 Dec 2016

Using a sample of 916 children (aged 5–18) of migrants and the life course perspective, this article examines the impact of parental migration on children's health.

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After Calais: what has happened to the refugee children?

The Guardian, 08 Dec 2016

This video from The Guardian discusses how six weeks after the Calais migrant camp was demolished, unaccompanied minors were transferred around France and are still waiting to hear from the Home Office.