Migrant Children Research Articles

Unpacking the Dynamics of Internal Migration in India: A Focus on Government Initiatives and Girl Child Migrants

Migration is a process and an event. This paper tries to discuss the rights that often get disturbed while on the move. It also discusses the challenges involved thereof while relocating. Establishing a linkage between migration and education, the paper tries to cover the challenges faced by migrant children in the face of this whole process of migration and how it effects not only the education system of our country, but the very manpower that are its real strength.

‘I came to the Basque Country, and now I have to learn their language’. Migrant students’ attitudes towards the use of a minority language

ABSTRACT This study analyzes the attitudes of migrant children towards the Basque language within the context of varying linguistic models and the dichotomy between public and private educational institutions. Engaging 145 migrant children aged 12–16; the research utilised open-ended questions analyzed via Iramuteq software to discern patterns in language perception. The analysis concludes that participants in model A or those attending private schools perceive Basque as a challenging aspect of their education. In contrast, students in model B regard it as just another language subject, while those in model D appreciate its community-binding significance, acknowledging its role in social integration. Students from public schools, which exhibit a higher prevalence of Basque than private religious institutions, recognised its instrumental value. The study emphasises the necessity of fostering positive attitudes towards minority languages like Basque, highlighting the importance of approaches based on the educational setting and linguistic framework. It also alerts to the ongoing risk of ghettoisation, stressing the imperative for meticulously devised and executed educational policies to foster inclusivity and prevent segregation. Additionally, there is a warning against the processes of ghettoisation that is currently taking place, highlighting the need for careful planning and implementation of such educational strategies.

Ethnic background as a risk factor for permanent brachial plexus birth injury: A population-based study.

Brachial plexus birth injury is the most common birth injury causing permanent disability in Finland. This study aimed to assess risk factors of a permanent brachial plexus birth injury and calculate the incidence. This is a retrospective population-based study including all deliveries between 2006 and 2022 in Southern Finland. The number of children born, obstetric data, and migrant status were gathered from the registries of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, and Statistics Finland. Race of the mothers of children with a permanent brachial plexus birth injury was recorded. The severity of permanent brachial plexus birth injury was assessed using the 3-month Toronto test score. A lower score was indicative of a more severe injury (scored 0-10). One hundred of the 298 428 children born during the 17-year study period sustained a permanent brachial plexus birth injury (0.34 per 1000). Mothers of children with a permanent brachial plexus birth injury had a higher body mass index (29 vs. 24 kg/m2) and their pregnancies were more often complicated by diabetes (28% vs. 12%), shoulder dystocia (58% vs. 0.3%), and/or assisted deliveries (45% vs. 10%) compared with all other mothers (p < 0.001). Thirty two of the 52 725 children born to migrant mothers had a permanent brachial plexus birth injury (0.61 per 1000). The incidence of permanent brachial plexus birth injury was 5.7 times higher among children of Black migrants from Africa (18/11 738, 1.53 per 1000) compared with children of native mothers (0.27 per 1000). Black mothers had a higher body mass index at the start of pregnancy (29 vs. 26 kg/m2, p = 0.02) compared with Caucasians. Children of Black mothers had a more severe injury compared with all others (p = 0.007) with a mean 3-month Toronto test score of 4.2 (range 0.0-6.5, SD ±1.6) vs. 5.6 (range 0.0-9.3, SD ±2.2). Shoulder dystocia and assisted delivery are the most important risk factors for a permanent brachial plexus birth injury. Black race was associated with a higher rate and a more severe permanent brachial plexus birth injury.

There and Back Again: Navigating Immigration Institutions as an Insider Researcher

ABSTRACT The study of immigration institutions has mainly focused on the effects these entities have on migrants and refugees’ lives. Much less research has been produced from the unique perspective of the people who comprise these institutions. Drawing from work experiences and ethnographic research on the operation of detention centers for migrant and refugee children in southern Mexico, this article reflects on the daily work in these centers and on the personnel who reproduce the government and execute immigration policy. The article builds on feminist postcolonial perspective by focusing on the uniqueness of the bureaucrat-ethnographer viewpoint. Keypoints of this article are how axes of race, gender, and nationality hinder and/or favor access to these institutions either for work or study, and how this contributes to global inequalities in knowledge production.

Does Grit Compensate for Family Background Disadvantage in Predicting Mental Health Difficulties? A Longitudinal Study of Chinese Migrant and Urban Children.

The significant population of Chinese rural-to-urban migrant children has sparked considerable domestic and international concern regarding their disadvantaged family circumstances and their escalating prevalence of internalizing and externalizing problems. Derived from the resource substitution hypothesis, non-cognitive factors such as personality traits may act as "substitution" resources for educational outcomes of children from less privileged families. Yet, the compensatory role of personality traits as substitution resources in children's mental health has received limited attention, including that of migrant children. This study examined the interplay of trait-like grit and family SES on emotional and conduct problems among Chinese migrant and urban children. The current sample consisted of 770 migrant children (Mage = 10.45 and SDage = 0.68 years; 38.4% girls) and their 222 urban counterparts (Mage = 10.34 and SDage = 0.46 years; 45.5% girls). Moderated polynomial regressions with response surface analysis on a two-wave data with an interval of over six months showed that grit served as a "substitution" resource for the less socioeconomically advantaged children. The compensatory effect of perseverance of effort on urban children's emotional problems and that of consistency of interest on migrant children's conduct problems were visualized. Moreover, the two compensatory effects were found to be robust and unique, even after children's effortful control, a grit-related construct, was taken into account. These findings not only support the resource substitution hypothesis, but also underscore the protective role that grit plays in children under less privileged environments.

The Inclusion Paradox: Why Inclusive Space Excludes Migrant Children, and Vice Versa

What characteristics of space predict exclusive policies? Intuitively, socioeconomically exclusive spaces – such as wealthy urban centers in China – would also be exclusive in welfare provision. Drawing from cross-district comparisons within a Chinese metropolis, we identify a counterintuitive pattern where the urban center had easier migrant school access policies than the urban fringe. This pattern has existed in both the 2010s and 2020s, surviving a major school admissions policy reform. We call this pattern the inclusion paradox. The inclusion paradox can be attributed to two causes: a compartmentalization of school access along urban district boundaries, and a tendency of fringe districts to carry more migrant population with less fiscal capacity. As a result of the inclusion paradox, migrant children were more likely excluded from school access precisely where they were more likely to live. The inclusion paradox implies that policy exclusion and spatial exclusion substitute each other, a pattern that brings migrant school access in China in conversation with unequal school access in other contexts.

Shifting Narratives of Suzhi (Quality) and Suzhi Education: What Migrant and Rural Children in China Tell Us About the Changing Nature of Chinese Education

Using the comparative case study (CCS) method, this article compares the findings from a longitudinal ethnographic research project of rural children in Northwest China (2005–2012) and a second longitudinal study of migrant children in eastern China (2015–2019). It examines rural and migrant students’ and educators’ (re)interpretations and uses of suzhi (quality) and suzhi education in the context of rapid urbanization, various locations in between the city and the countryside, and how these usages problematize and challenge the rural-urban dualism embedded in the existing literature on rural and migrant children in China. These two studies explore how suzhi means different things for different stakeholders across time and place in both formal discourses, such as the curriculum, and in informal discourses, as seen in what educators and students value and practice. The article enriches theories on suzhi by showing how it: 1) reflects both the rural-urban gap and social stratification in China; and 2) reveals the shifting paradigm of suzhi education specifically and of education in China more broadly. The article also showcases how the CCS approach can be used to disrupt taken-for-granted categories and dichotomies, such as the urban-rural dualism, by closely examining concepts like suzhi across place, time, and with different groups of children.

Beyond Hukou-Based Exclusion: Revisiting Rural Migrant Parents’ Active Agency in Educational Involvement and Impacts on Their Children’s Educational Trajectory

China has witnessed significant growth in the number of children affected by internal rural–urban migration. These children predominantly suffer from educational inequalities. Most relevant studies have primarily attributed such inequalities to hukou-based exclusion. However, the active agency of rural migrant parents in their reactions to such structural barriers has been downplayed in these studies. We conducted qualitative investigations with migrant parents, their children, and schoolteachers from a private migrant school in Beijing in 2014, 2015, and 2019. We found that in the post-2014 period, rural migrant children still faced increased and systematic marginalization in the urban public education system. Faced with this evolving policy context, most rural migrant parents proactively addressed the structural barriers to maximize the quality of education their children could receive. The data further suggests that the educational involvement of parents from disadvantaged backgrounds is likely to be shown in the school choice and enrollment process and is influenced by their economic conditions and social networks in urban and rural communities. This study contributes to understanding rural migrant parents’ differentiated abilities in educational involvement in the light of economic and social influences and the resulting precarity and increased mobility in their children’s educational trajectories.

Trauma and Unaccompanied Child Migration in US History: Reflections from the Archives

Abstract: Through detailed analysis of archival records, Anita Casavantes Bradford traces the history of the clinical, academic, and popular understandings of trauma as it influenced US immigration policy for unaccompanied migrant children during the twentieth century. She questions why adults charged with the care of unaccompanied minors have "(mis)understood … (mis)managed … and (mis)represented" children as traumatized, both unintentionally and deliberately, in order to advance adult objectives. Casavantes Bradford provides a historical overview of US immigration and refugee polices since the 1930s as applied to unaccompanied migrant children. This history also traces the evolution of clinical and popular definitions of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—officially recognized by psychologists in 1980—and suggests that policies for managing and mitigating trauma among unaccompanied minors often led to negative consequences. These polices, above all, were often based on geopolitical and domestic political considerations rather than the welfare of children, according to Casavantes Bradford. Thus, during the 1980s, unaccompanied minors from Haiti and Central America reaching the United States faced detention and deportation, while Sudanese "lost boys" were granted preferential treatment that aligned with US national security interests in Africa. Since the 1930s, markers of difference such as race, class, and religion have also played fundamental roles in which unaccompanied minors have been given the "right to be traumatized" and resettlement. Casavantes Bradford cautions researchers against interpreting migrant children's experiences through biased or ahistorical notions of trauma that oversimplify individual young people's experiences and their potential resilience. Historians and others should critically examine their own assumptions when studying trauma and the experiences of unaccompanied migrant children.

The educational predicament of migrant children: Understanding it from the concept of citizenship

In China, the restrictions on population mobility imposed by the hukou (‘household registration’) system are in contradiction with the demand for increased population mobility in the context of economic production. The phenomenon of migrant children arises out of this contradiction, as they move between the place of household registration and the place of residence, unable to enjoy full citizenship rights and facing multiple dilemmas. Therefore, using the concept of citizenship, this article attempts to explore the interaction between the awakening of citizenship, government laws and responses and citizenship rights in terms of the right to education, so as to provide a foundational perspective for the study of the educational dilemmas of migrant children. Citizenship in China is influenced by a combination of China’s historical background, Confucian culture and the socialist ideology of the Communist Party of China, and it is firmly linked to the hukou system, possessing differentiated characteristics. The special meaning of citizenship in Chinese society and the differentiated stratification caused by the urban–rural dichotomy are the root causes of the inequality in education for migrant children, and the differentiated stratification and the awakening of civic consciousness further promote population mobility.

Socioeconomic Status of Immigrant Students in the Context of Teachers' Views

The aim of this study is to determine the socioeconomic status of immigrant students in line with the views of teachers working in schools. The study is a phenomenology research based on qualitative research method. The study group of the research consists of 20 teachers working in the secondary schools in the central districts (Karatay, Meram and Selçuklu) in Konya, Türkiye, in the 2022-2023 academic year. A semi-structured interview form was used as a data collection tool in the study. The collected data were analysed by descriptive analysis method. As a result of the analysis of the teachers' views on the current socioeconomic status of immigrant students, problem areas such as social life, communication, economic life, and family life were determined. The problems and conditions encountered in the country of origin pose serious challenges to migrant students and families in every aspect. When these problems are considered as a whole, they disadvantage migrant children in the country of migration. In order to minimize or eliminate these problem areas and to solve them, some practices can be implemented to enhance the language, culture, economic situation of immigrant students and the welfare of their families. Conducting research by referring to the opinions of students and parents in different provinces and levels will contribute to an in-depth and detailed understanding of the socioeconomic status of immigrant students.

Interstate migration and its association with the prevalence of stunting in under-five children of the migrant families in Delhi-NCR, India: a cross-sectional study

Background: Interstate migration in India is increasing every year. Children of the migrant families often face poor living conditions and insufficient nutrition, as a result of various socio-economic determinants. This study aimed to understand the association between rural-to-urban migration and under-five stunting, and the various determinants involved. This study allows researchers to make pre and post pandemic comparison of stunting among migrant children in Delhi, since it was carried-out post the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was carried-out in the bhatti mines area of south Delhi, using a systemic sampling method. 100 households each of migrants and non-migrants were approached, and height of the under-five children was measured. Stunting was estimated using WHO child growth standards. Information on demography and socio-economic determinants was collected from the mothers using a questionnaire. Results: Stunting was recorded in 62% of the migrant under-five children and 27% in the non-migrant children, with a significant difference between the two groups (p value &lt;0.001), indicating a significant association between migration and stunting. Source of drinking water (p&lt;0.05) and recurring episodes of diarrhea (p&lt;0.05) were also found to be strongly associated with under-five stunting. Conclusions: Under-five nutritional deficits lead to compromised immunity and delay in physical and mental growth and development. It is important to recognize and address the diverse needs of the under-five migrant population’s health in order to avoid stunting and other serious manifestations.

Integration of migrant children in educational systems in Spain: stakeholders’ views

ABSTRACT This paper presents an overview of approaches and proposals to improve the integration of migrant children in schools in Spain and it is linked to the European research project Migrant Children and Communities in a Transforming Europe (MiCREATE). It focuses on a part of the research in which stakeholders were interviewed. Based on the needs of migrant children and practices already implemented in Spain, experts from different fields problematised and proposed improvements in current policies and practices in education. The main conclusions indicate that a more holistic and transversal approach to the inclusion of migrants is needed, as well as better coordination between institutions in different contexts and areas of action. This implies rethinking inclusive practices and involving children’s families and taking their environment into consideration, as well as supporting educational practices that foster a sense of belonging among migrant children and their families in schools, the community, and society. Finally, the paper highlights the importance of gathering data from stakeholders in different fields of expertise and areas of action in order to obtain a more complex and insightful overview of the phenomenon under study.

Multiple animal bite injuries in a child: a case report

Animal bites are a leading cause of injury among children, of which dog bites contribute significantly to the burden of Rabies in the world. This was a case report of a 7-year-old migrant girl child who was admitted to the casualty as a victim of multiple stray dog bite injuries. The child presented with multiple and extensive lesions all over the body. Trauma related to animal bites cause not just physical pain and suffering but also emotional stress and carries the risk of Rabies which is a highly fatal disease. Prompt management of the case with post exposure prophylaxis against Rabies needs to be done immediately, along with wound management to ensure good treatment results and patient outcome. This report presents the case of a child who sustained multiple stray dog bite injuries all over the body. Patient was followed up for one month, showed good wound healing and recovery.

The limitations of Private International Law regarding the protection of unaccompanied migrant children in the European Union

&#x0D; This article aims to explore whether the rules of Private International Law (PIL) effectively safeguard the parental responsibility and protection of children, specifically addressing the protection of unaccompanied children migrating to the European Union (EU). The objective is to enhance the protection of the best interests of these minors. The study employs the inductive method, starting with the analysis of specific legislation and jurisprudence to derive a general premise as a conclusion. The research methodology involves bibliographic and documentary research. The findings reveal that, from a practical standpoint, PIL has limitations in its application, failing to fulfill its role in protecting the best interests of unaccompanied children in the EU.&#x0D; &#x0D;

Migrant children's take‐up of social health insurance: Experimental evidence from China

AbstractThere is mounting evidence on the importance of health insurance for children's health and well‐being. However, many disadvantaged families do not enroll their eligible children in social health insurance programs. This study examines the effectiveness of interventions aimed at increasing social health insurance enrollment for disadvantaged migrant children in Guangzhou, China. We conducted a two‐stage randomized controlled trial with a 3 × 2 design: (1) randomly assigning parents to a control group or one of two treatment groups, where they received digital information on eligibility or eligibility plus comparative benefits and costs; and (2) nudging half of the parents with text message reminders about the enrollment deadline. Informing parents about eligibility alone did not have any impact. However, providing information on eligibility plus comparative benefits and costs increased enrollment in social health insurance in Guangzhou by over 44% (9.4 percentage points). Nudging produced no significant impact. Exploiting treatment group assignment as an instrument for coverage, we were unable to detect any positive effects of having social health insurance in the first year after the intervention.

Im/migrant Well-Being Part II: Race, Ethnicity, and Legal Challenges to Incorporation and Well-Being

In this introduction to the second issue of a two-part series on Im/migrant Well-being, we discuss examples of how race, ethnicity, and a patchwork of current and proposed state and federal laws contribute to the exclusion of and discrimination of immigrants, hindering their incorporation and having harmful effects on their well-being. Articles discussed in this introduction zoom in into these issues by analyzing in detail how the well-being of immigrants in the United States is threatened by current U.S. immigration laws and policies: from the racial construction of the invasive “100-mile border enforcement zone” to the precarious legal statuses of unaccompanied migrant children, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, and farmworkers. Together, these empirical studies produce robust evidence demonstrating how the racialization and liminal legality of im/migrant communities in the United States adversely affect their belonging, incorporation, and overall well-being. In line with the findings from these articles, and in the absence of federal action on immigration reform in the horizon, the opening commentary following this introduction highlights how immigrant communities and scholars have the power to perform critical acts of brokerage to prevent harm and promote collective well-being by sharing resources and produce collaborative research that contributes toward evidence-informed policymaking.

Professional Perspectives on Children's Health Assets: A Delphi Study.

This study aims to describe a local community expert's perspective on the identification of and access to children's health assets and to gather proposals to promote children's health and well-being within their community. The health asset approach is essential for health promotion, and there is evidence of its benefits to individuals' or communities' health when this approach is observed. Children's health assets are gaining increasing interest, but the literature that captures the perception of professionals working with children is scarce. Qualitative research designed with Delphi methodology was carried out with the participation of 25 professionals working in a neighbourhood with children and families. The participants stated that this neighbourhood was a good environment for the healthy and happy growth of children but pointed out that there were inequities. They emphasised the importance of economic and physical security and feeling loved. The absolute best aspects of the neighbourhood according to these experts were its support networks, mutual help, educational and health services, and green spaces, and the most deficient aspects were the possibility of a hopeful future and emotional support within the family unit. Poverty and/or the scarcity of economic resources were identified as the main barriers to accessing health assets. Special difficulties in access to health for migrant and Roma children were also identified. The panel of experts made concrete action proposals. It was recommended to support resources and services that already exist in their community. The experts prioritised work with families, education, working in conjunction with vulnerable groups, community participation, and networking.

Elevated levels of loneliness in migrant children compared to nonmigrant children in urban China: a systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies.

About one in four children in China is a migrant child. This population has a higher risk of experiencing loneliness. However, existing studies present conflicting findings regarding the levels of loneliness among migrant children as compared to local urban children in urban China. This review performs a meta-analysis of studies comparing loneliness levels between these two groups. A literature search of major Chinese- and English-language databases revealed 27 eligible comparative studies. These studies reported the means and standardized deviations of loneliness scores for both migrant and nonmigrant children in urban China. Meta-analysis results showed that migrant children experienced significantly higher levels of loneliness than their urban nonmigrant counterparts [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.21, P < 0.001]. Subgroup analysis revealed that studies enrolling migrant children from migrant children's schools had significantly higher pooled SMDs than those enrolling children from public schools (0.346 vs. 0.120, P = 0.047). Migrant children in urban China experience higher levels of loneliness compared to their local urban peers. Efforts to create a socially inclusive, migrant-friendly environment and reduce social isolation among migrant children are crucial to help alleviate their feelings of loneliness.

Health Risks of Unaccompanied Immigrant Children in Federal Custody and in US Communities.

Unaccompanied immigrant children continue to arrive at the US-Mexico border and are at high risk for ongoing abuse, neglect, and poor mental and physical health. We are medical and legal experts in the fields of immigrant and refugee health, child abuse, and the legal rights of international refugee and migrant children. We provide an overview of US federal agencies with custody of unaccompanied immigrant children, a summary of medical care provided while in custody, and recent findings from the independent Juvenile Care Monitor Report mandating new custodial conditions for immigrant children while in federal custody. We provide recommendations to improve the health and well-being of unaccompanied immigrant children while in custody and once released to US sponsors. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(3):340-346. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307570).