Migrant Families Research Articles

The impact of intersecting crises on recent intra‐EU mobilities: The case of Spaniards in the UK and Germany

AbstractThis article contributes to two interconnected fields of study: recent literature on intra‐EU migration, specifically South–North flows; and scholarship into the impact of intersecting crises on (im)mobilities. Interest in intra‐EU mobilities has increased with the expansion of the EU and especially since the 2008 Great Recession, with a focus mostly on young people and East–West flows. However, based on a mixed‐methods research approach, this article looks at the recent migration of individuals and families from Spain to the UK and Germany, two of the main destinations in Europe. It explores the impacts on (im)mobility strategies of three intersecting “crises”: starting with emigration since 2008, including the erosion of EU mobile citizens' rights culminating in “Brexit,” and ending with the effects of COVID‐19. Our analysis situates these migrant experiences in the interplay between core‐periphery theories and the concept of liquid migration, highlighting how crises accentuate vulnerabilities but can also generate opportunities.

The commodification of unaccompanied child migration: A double move of enclosure

In England, unaccompanied child migrants who seek asylum are the responsibility of the local state, who acts as their ‘corporate parent’. While these young people are ostensibly supported by children’s services in keeping with responsibilities under the Children’s Act 1989, in comparison to ‘local’ children unaccompanied children are disproportionately placed in unregulated, outsourced accommodation. Drawing on data from the Children Caring on the Move research project – including over 180 interviews with unaccompanied young people, frontline workers, accommodation owners and policy makers – I argue that this part of the care system can be understood as a double move of enclosure. First, I argue that claims about the unpredictability of arrivals of unaccompanied children are used as a rationale for the marketisation of children’s services, part of an enclosure of what was previously public. Second, I point to the enclosure, and commodification, of unaccompanied children themselves. They not only become a source of profit in this enclosed sector through their statuses as ‘child’ and ‘unaccompanied migrant’, but the limited forms of support provided in outsourced and unregulated provision make it more difficult for many to regularise their status before being subject to enforced destitution or deportability as non-citizen adults. The article contributes to efforts to theorise contemporary processes of enclosure in racial capitalism, adds to understandings of the UK’s ‘asylum market’ which to date has focused almost primarily on adult or family migrants, and sheds new light on causalities of care in the UK’s marketised and bordered children’s services.

Urban public services and fertility intentions of internal migrants in China.

As China continues to implement its progressive fertility promotion policy, there has been a drastic decline in the fertility rate. Given that the migrant population constitutes more than a quarter of China's total population, enhancing the willingness of this demographic to have additional children through policy-guided urban public services is pivotal for optimizing China's population development strategy. This study analyzes the influence of urban public services on the reproductive intentions of the migrant population, utilizing data from 110,667 migrant families with one child, drawn from China's Migrant Population Dynamic Monitoring data in 2016 and 2018. The data analysis reveals several key findings: (1) Urban public services, overall, exhibit a notable positive effect on the willingness of the migrant population to have more children, albeit with limitations and a declining trend. (2) Among urban public services, primary basic education significantly impacts the willingness of the migrant population to expand their families. (3) Large cities have created a 'reverse screening' effect on the migrant population, leading to differential access to public services. This scenario caters effectively to the high human capital migrant individuals while reducing accessibility to livelihood public services for the low human capital migrant population. This paper critically evaluates China's progressively adjusted fertility policy from the perspective of the migrant population. It underscores the necessity of establishing a comprehensive fertility support policy system across China.

‘We are always planning trips to Poland’: the influence of transnational family life on the family language policy of Polish-speaking families in Ireland

ABSTRACT In the context of heightened global transnational movements and the proximate geographical positioning of Poland and Ireland, this study investigates the impact of the transnational nature of Polish families’ migration experiences in The Republic of Ireland on their family language policy. This research endeavours to address a gap in the literature surrounding the influence of transnationalism on family language policy within Polish-speaking migrant families in Ireland. Grounded in Curdt-Christiansen's [Curdt-Christiansen, X. L. 2018. “Family Language Policy.” In Oxford Handbook of Language Policy and Planning, edited by J. W. Tollefson and M. Pérez-Milans. New York: Oxford University Press.] interdisciplinary model of family language policy, this investigation draws on an ethnographic inquiry into three Polish-speaking families in Ireland. The study focuses on families with first- and second-generation migrant children. Data were gathered through a combination of semi-structured interviews and children's reflective language diaries. The results depict the transnational nature of family life, with recurrent travel between Ireland and Poland evident across all three families. To sustain connections with Poland, parents implemented specific language management strategies. The study underscored the participants’ recognition of the interdependence between the use of the Polish language and the continuation of connections with Poland, as well as the capacity to uphold family life across Ireland and Poland.

Do organisation career support programs draw on career guidance practices? A reading of career support programs for students and families of refugee and new migrant backgrounds

Accessing high-quality career development to support successful transitions into post-compulsory education and employment can be a challenge for newly arrived students of refugee and migrant backgrounds. In Australia, not-for-profit organisations provide career guidance to students within schools that enrol refugee and migrant families. Through programs, not-for-profit organisations can provide mentoring, support and other career services. This research explores the marketing materials of organisation-provided career guidance programs based in Australian secondary schools. A close textual reading of how the programs engage with the discipline and practices of career guidance reveal a deficit framing of students and their families, with limited focus on promoting agency across programs. In light of the increasing resettlement of refugees and migrants in Australia, these findings highlight a need to balance social justice principles with greater engagement with the discipline of career education when enacting career interventions with vulnerable groups.

Study on the impact of hometown resource endowment on farmers’ rural-urban migration decisions against the background of “dual carbon”

This study investigates the impact of hometown resource endowment on farmers’ rural-urban migration decisions within the context of “Dual Carbon” policies. It aims to understand the factors influencing migration decision-making amidst the dynamics of urban and rural land occupation, particularly focusing on the role of hometown resource endowments led by homesteads. Using data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS), this study analyzes the influence of hometown resource endowment, primarily residential land, on farmers’ migration decisions. Ownership of homesteads and contracted land significantly affects farmers’ settlement in cities, while the dividend effect from village collectives is negligible. Additionally, the administrative level of the hometown serves as a significant factor in migration decision-making, particularly in family migration. Homestead and contracted land ownership negatively impacts both household and individual migration decisions. Specifically, owning homesteads exerts a greater influence on whole family migration decisions, reducing the probability of settling in cities by 21.1%. Regional comparative analysis reveals varying effects of owning homesteads and contracted land. While it positively influences household migration to cities in the eastern region, it inhibits migration in the central and western regions. The findings highlight the complex interplay between hometown resource endowment, land use patterns, and rural-urban migration decisions. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for designing effective policies to address migration challenges in the context of environmental and socioeconomic transitions.

A cross-cultural examination of adverse childhood experiences in low-and middle-income countries and their relation with adolescent educational aspirations

BackgroundAdverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur before the age of 18. Researchers have examined the negative associations between adversity and adolescent and adult outcomes, such as education and physical health. However, research on ACEs, and their association with other outcomes in non-western contexts is sparse. ObjectiveThe present study aims to increase our understanding of the prevalence of ACEs – and their association with educational aspirations – in low- and middle-income country contexts. Participants and settingWe utilize data from the Family Migration and Early Life Outcomes (FAMELO) project, a multi-site survey project that collected data from families in historically high-migration contexts. ACEs and educational aspirations were measured in children aged 11 to17 years in Mexico (n = 853), Mozambique (n = 651), and Nepal (n = 1180). MethodsWe use Poisson regressions to examine the prevalence of ACEs in multiple cultures, and then use multinomial logistic regressions to examine whether ACEs are associated with educational aspirations, as a practical application of the utility of the ACEs framework in cross-cultural contexts. ResultsOur results suggest that adolescents in Mozambique have a higher average number of ACEs (2.7) than adolescents in Mexico (1.4) and Nepal (1.3). Female adolescents reported fewer ACEs, while socioeconomic vulnerabilities (low-income and low parental education) were associated with higher exposure to ACEs, with differences by country. Lastly, ACEs were associated with lower educational aspirations in Mexico and Nepal. ConclusionsOur study attempted to heed the call of many scholars who have pushed for an expansion of research on ACEs in non-western, low- and middle-income country contexts.

Vacillating between “strange” and “familiar” - representations of children in migrant families and their health in Swedish school health services

Representations of migrants influence how they are perceived by others. Hence, how children who have migrated or whose parents have migrated (Children in Migrant Families: CMFs) are represented in clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for Swedish school health services (SHS) may influence how they are perceived by school nurses. Thus, this study aimed to explore representations of CMFs in school nurses’ CPGs.Data consisted of 130 CPGs from municipalities in Sweden. Documents were analyzed using the “What is the Problem Represented to be” (WPR) approach – an analytic strategy for investigating embedded assumptions of “problems”. In the analysis, Sarah Ahmed's work on “strangers” and “strangeness” was applied.In the CPGs, the CMFs and their health were repeatedly mentioned in conjunction with the need for particular or additional actions, efforts, or routines when assessing or discussing their health, to a degree beyond what is “usually” provided. This need was motivated by representing the CMFs and their health as being the same, yet different in relation to “Swedish” children in general. Thus, the children were not only represented as different, but they were “foreignized”. These representations of difference and foreignness placed the children on a continuum in relation to what is recognized as “familiar” in their health, and constructed elastic boundaries between the strange and the familiar. By illustrating how these boundaries were used for difference-making between “familiar” and “strange”, this study showed how CMFs are alternately represented as similar and different, and foreignized while provided with SHS aiming to make them “familiar”.

A Profile of Current Trends in Family Mobility in Florida: 2023

This paper is divided into three parts. First, we analyze data from the 2016-2020 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau to assess the demographic structure of Florida families. We find differences between Florida and other parts of the United States. These differences are the result of trends and patterns in migration to, from and within the state. Second, we examine the role that disasters in general and hurricanes in particular play in the family life of Floridians. Third, we review the literature to assess how responses to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced family life and the migration of families into, out of, and within Florida. This paper highlights the dramatic changes that have occurred in family life in Florida. The implications of these trends are discussed.

Ruling Relations Coordinating the ‘Migrant Family’ in Institutional Encounters between Finnish Social Work Professionals and Migrant Service Users

Abstract Despite the growing body of literature on how migrancy transforms family relations, surprisingly little research exists on how ‘migrant family’ takes shape in institutional encounters. In this article, we analyse the negotiations on when and how family relations become addressed in encounters between social workers and migrant service users. Drawing from institutional ethnography, we understand the local service encounters as actively regulated by extra-local relations of ruling, represented here mainly by texts such as legislative acts, service descriptions and professional guidelines. The results show that the ways in which family is present and addressed in the institutional encounters often became an act of balancing between a broader understanding of family relations building on the service user’s self-definition as well as psychosocial and holistic professional ideals, and a narrower administrative understanding rooted in the Finnish legislation on social security and immigration. The legislative texts thus become a strong relation of ruling that coordinates the actual encounters and what happens in them. Nevertheless, family is essential to human subjectivity, and if the institutional encounters focus only on those family relations recognised by the legislation, important aspects of human relations remain unseen.

Negotiating Work-Family Transitions: Reverse Family Migration among Second-Generation Hong Kong Mothers

ABSTRACT Gendered and generational understandings of circular migration are scant in studies of Chinese family migration. Filling this gap, this paper draws on in-depth interviews with twenty-six returnee families to examine the work–family transitions of previously employed, overseas-educated mothers who have re-migrated from Hong Kong to Canada, Australia, the United States, or the United Kingdom. These overseas-educated returnee mothers possess transnational backgrounds that differentiate them from most first-generation immigrant mothers. This paper shows that, despite this distinction, reverse migration leads to compromised careers and domestication for these women, although they accept, and in some cases embrace, such compromises. This study elucidates how both husbands and wives in these families justify women’s post-migration changes in their work and caregiving roles. It argues that beyond economic rationalization, interrelated gender, cultural, transnational, and family lifestyle dimensions distinctively impact how second-generation returnee mothers negotiate work–family transitions. This paper offers new insights involving generational and gendered dimensions into the study of Chinese family migration. It also widens the discussion of the impact of family migration on skilled immigrant women in transnational circuits beyond its focus on the lives of first-generation skilled immigrant women.

Mothering in hostile environments: Migrant families negotiating the welfare and immigration regime nexus

This article examines the production, working and impact of the UK's hostile environment on migrant families with precarious legal status. Our approach is informed by two bodies of scholarly work: critical border studies and research on migrant families. We bridge these literatures to show how the hostile environment is neither a singular, neatly bounded space, nor limited to a set of interactions between immigration enforcement and a clear-cut group of people (so-called ‘illegal immigrants’). It affects the lives of a wider segment of the UK population, in particular racialised migrants and citizens, by making their legal status more insecure and precarious, and percolates in multiple and intersecting domains in the lives of families, such as education, housing and welfare, making them ambivalent sites of protection and safety as well as control and enforcement. Drawing on ethnographic engagement with families with insecure immigration statuses, we explore how the hostile environment manifests in the everyday lives of families; how the hostile environment circulates and is re-enacted within the micro-politics of families; and how families negotiate the continuous work of protecting children from the effects of the hostile environment. In conclusion we argue that dramatic and rapid shifts in immigration rules and regulations undermine the capacity of mothers to navigate the policy environment and welfare for their children and to shield them from the consequences of state-driven hostility towards immigrants.

Language as a Factor in Access to Education for School-Age Migrants

The article discusses access to education in view of the needs of students from migrant families. Linguistic problems related to migration processes in the countries of the European Union and beyond are highlighted. An emphasis is placed on the Bulgarian language training of students coming from foreign educational systems who have enrolled in Bulgarian schools. Opportunities to implement additional training in Bulgarian as a second language for students entering different secondary school grades are analyzed, with a view to the successful continuation of their education. The EU language policy to stimulate multilingualism, which is also discussed as a global trend, is focused on. Based on the experience in South Korea, opportunities for the development of multicultural education are presented.

Determinants of COVID Induced Repatriation of Emigrant Labourers from GCC Countries to Kerala, India: An Econometric Analysis

The COVID-induced repatriation of the emigrant labourers from GCC countries to Kerala, India, unprecedentedly unfolds more significant ramifications for the Kerala economy. The study empirically estimated the significant determinants behind the abrupt decision to repatriate emigrant labourers from GCC countries to their country of origin, India. The data compiled from COVID-induced repatriated emigrant labourers using Logistic regression revealed that factors like age, marital status and status of family migration at the destination were the compelling reasons for the distress of return emigrant labourers. The repatriated labourers belonged to the younger age group with acquired experience and skill sets at their destination, giving them an added advantage to get them remigrated to GCC countries rather than be a part of the domestic labour market.

A psychometric study of the revised Chinese version of the family resilience assessment scale among children disadvantaged due to family migration

ObjectiveThe family system is important for children's development. Previous research has demonstrated that some families are able to maintain good adaptability or resilience in the face of stressors. This study aimed to develop the revised Chinese version of the Family Resilience Assessment Scale and examine the psychometric properties of the scale among children disadvantaged in adversity due to family migration. MethodsA total of 1487 children (47.6 % girls) from disadvantaged families participated in this study, whom completed the revised Chinese version of the Family Resilience Assessment Scale, the Chinese version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children. Results(1) Good language equivalency was found (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient = 0.96); (2) Item analysis indicated that the critical ratio values of all 45 items were above 0.30 (p < 0.001), except for 7 items that were dropped from further analysis; (3) The exploratory factor analysis indicated that the best model was four-factor model; (4) The confirmatory factor analysis showed that the four-factor model had good model fit; (5) Family resilience was significantly correlated with personal resilience and depression; (6) The internal consistency reliability of the scale was 0.95. ConclusionsThis study confirmed that the revised Chinese version of the Family Resilience Assessment Scale was a reliable and valid instrument to assess family resilience of Chinese children who are disadvantaged.

Intermarriage and housing upon separation. A matter of resources and bargaining power?

AbstractObjectiveThis paper examines post‐separation residential outcomes in immigrant, native, and immigrant–native mixed (married and cohabiting) couples.BackgroundPrevious research showed that women were more likely to leave the family home upon separation than men, indicating a weaker bargaining position.MethodUsing linked survey and register data from Switzerland, we estimate two post‐separation mobility outcomes: who leaves the family home and to what distance this person relocates. By distinguishing male and female partners by migrant origin, we consider how gendered power imbalances interact with migration status to create specific bargaining dynamics within households.ResultsAmong immigrant–native mixed couples, the immigrant ex‐partner (regardless of gender) was significantly more likely to move out of the joint home following separation. The likelihood of moving (abroad) after separation was highest for recently arrived immigrant women.ConclusionThe results suggest that migration status brings in a new dimension of bargaining within separating couples, which affects the gender‐specific residential mobility outcomes reported in previous studies. Although family migration decisions are generally biased toward the human capital of men, this study shows the advantage of the native partner in immigrant–native couples.

MANAGING ASSISTANCE IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL INCLUSION ADDRESSED TO YOUNG PEOPLE FROM MIGRANT FAMILIES AT THE EUROPEAN UNION LEVEL

Youth migration can be considered in many aspects. More and more young people from third countries are moving to European countries on their own or with their parents, sometimes at a very young age or even in childhood. At the same time, more and more young Europeans are becoming mobile across the continent. In terms of public policy for youth, it should be noted that students and pupils from a migrant background often struggle with difficulties in adapting to new learning conditions. Social inclusion of all young people, including those with migrant backgrounds, is one of the priorities of EU public policies in the youth field. Nowadays, social inclusion is largely based on activities that do not allow for digital exclusion, because modern education is very closely related to modern technologies. The instruments for implementing public policy for youth involve various programs funded by the European Union. These programs play a very important role in the process of social inclusion of young people from migrant families. As a result of the research, using the method of institutional and legal analysis, it was concluded that the key recommendation is that all activities addressed to young people from migrant families should enable them to function well in youth communities.

The Impact of China's Family Floating Population on the Participation of Medical Insurance in the Inflow Areas.

With the transformation of China's economy and society, the floating population has also shown a new development trend, from individual migration to co-migration with family members. In 2020, among the 376 million floating population, the population flowing to cities and towns was 330 million, accounting for nearly 88.1%. The family mobility of the floating population is not just a simple personal gathering or geographical migration, but a profound adjustment of the living environment, social interaction and the interests of family members. Migrants no longer simply play the role of "urban passers-by", but gradually move with spouses, children, parents, and even settle in the city, which will inevitably produce different public service and social security needs. To explore the impact of floating population's familyization on the participation of medical insurance in the inflow areas. This study adopted the form of non-systematic literature review. The key words were floating population and medical insurance. The related analysis of PubMed, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP databases were reviewed and summarized. Due to the flow between domestic immigrants and regions, their medical insurance is difficult to be guaranteed. The domestic floating population's demand for health services is increasing, but the coverage of medical services provided by medical insurance is not comprehensive enough. It is necessary to integrate the medical insurance system and improve the adaptability of medical insurance to family mobility; protect the welfare needs of migrant families and increase their willingness to participate in medical insurance at the destination; pay attention to the interaction and integration of floating population families, understand and guide them to participate in the status quo of medical insurance, and improve the status quo.

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.

Escuchar a los migrantes y sus familias. Experiencias desde el Programa Binacional de Educación Migrante

The text explores a series of reflections on the practice of listening within working groups with migrant communities within the framework of the Binational Migrant Education Program. Through educational workshops, there was an opportunity to work with migrant families on various topics such as health, coexistence, or recommendations for school learning. The author suggests some strategies and thematic axes prioritizing communication and mutual understanding. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of making visible the role of girls, boys, and adolescents in the migration process in order to understand their needs and dreams.