1 in 4 Romanian children has or had at least one parent who went to work abroad

​Almost a quarter of Romanian children who are now between the ages of 0-17 had or have a parent who went to work abroad, according to the data of a complex national study carried out by the Save the Children Romania Organization. Italy (21%), Spain (17%) and Austria (12%) are the top three labor migration destinations for women; for men, these are Germany (24%), Italy (22%) and Great Britain (14%). Almost a third of the children who were asked (31%) say that they did not agree with their parent(s) going to work abroad.

On average, the mother leaves for the first time when the child is 6 years and 11 months old; she was away, on average, 3.2 years out of the 4.5 in which the child faced the mother’s migration, and among the mothers who left to work abroad, 58% return to the country once a year, the survey reveals.

The study also shows that over half a million children (536,000) had at least one parent go to work abroad in the last year. 61.5% of the children whose parents have ever gone abroad have or had only the father leave (about 587,000 children), 20.4% have or had only the mother leave (about 194,000 children), and 18, 1% had both parents away (approximately 173,000 children).

57% of the children interviewed declare that either they were not asked by their parents if they agreed with going abroad, or they did not agree with going abroad.

20% of teenagers (15-17 years old) who have a parent working abroad (one in five) talk to them once a week or less.

Italy (21%), Spain (17%) and Austria (12%) are the top three labor migration destinations for women; for men, these are Germany (24%), Italy (22%) and Great Britain (14%).

Fathers go abroad more often than mothers 

The experience of migration is similar in urban and rural areas: 61.5% of children whose parents have ever gone abroad have or had only the father leave (about 587,000 children), 20.4% have or had only the mother leave (approximately 194,000 children), and 18.1% had both parents away (approximately 173,000 children).

Italy (21%), Spain (17%) and Austria (12%) are the first three choices for Romanian women to work abroad, while in case of men, they prefer Germany (24%), Italy (22%) and UK (14%).

By referring to the reference volume used in the sampling, namely 3,896,943 children, it follows that almost one million children, respectively 954,000 children have or had the experience of one of their parents leaving during their childhood, up to the date of the study.

The conclusions of the survey, as well as proposals for measures to support this vulnerable category of children, were debated together with representatives of central and local authorities, schools and other relevant institutions during the Conference on the situation of children with parents working abroad , organized by Save the Children, in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.