Adaptation of Migrant Children in a Foreign Cultural Environment: Socio-Philosophical Analysis

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The phenomenon of labor migration from the post-Soviet countries and, mainly, from the Central Asian republics to the territory of the Russian Federation is the subject of close attention of specialists, scientists from various fields of socio-humanitarian sciences. The expansion of the area of labor migration spreading within Siberia and the Far Eastern Federal District, as well as the quantitative increase in incoming migrants, actualizes a number of issues, including aspects such as the adaptation of arriving migrants to changed socio-cultural conditions, analysis of the transformation of the ethno-cultural and ethno-religious space of the recipient region, the incorporation of migrant labor families, including their children, into social institutions of the host community. The purpose of this study is to identify the cognitive-motivational aspect of adaptation of the studied categories, which will allow to adjust the social policy strategy available at the regional level in relation to migrants and their families, and, accordingly, will create conditions for more effective management of migration processes. The problems of the research imply the use of theoretical and empirical methods. Consideration of the phenomenon of childhood in these aspects makes it possible to identify existing models and strategies for the adaptation of children who have left the usual cultural environment and migrated with their parents, and those born in migration based on the application of theoretical and methodological developments of acculturation of J. Berry and Yang Kim’s adaptation theories. The need for this kind of analysis is determined directly by the social agenda itself – an increase in the share of migrants among recipients of social services. As an empirical method, the focus group method is used, which helps to identify the difficulties and features of the adaptation process, as well as the goals and prospects of further socialization, which is a priority for migrant children, representatives of educational institutions ‒ preschool, school education.