An international action will bring a new perspective on transnational families and how labour migration affects children's rights. The Babeș-Bolyai University in Romania coordinates 5 institutions and organizations that will collaborate in the next 26 months: Terre des hommes delegations Romania, Moldova and Ukraine together with the Ukrainian Institute for Social Research after Oleksandr Yaremenko and the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova.
With a complex research representing the most consistent part of the project, a Research Centre for the Study of Transnational Families will be established in the following months within the Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca. A considerable number of highly experienced researchers will team up to obtain more detailed information about transnational families and the social and legal impact of labor migration on children left behind. Furthermore they will seek out challenges and opportunities experienced by different family members at different stages in their mobility from the perspectives of those with experiential knowledge and of the national authorities.
How will the research unfold?
In September 2021 research instruments will be developed - interview guides for transnational family members, focus group guides and interview guides for representatives of authorities. In total, 30 persons (15 children of labour migrants and 15 parents from Romania, Moldova and Ukraine) will be consulted for the methodology of the research.
This action research will be oriented towards community, as children and parents will be directly involved as co-researchers in groups of 5 children and 5 parents from transnational families in each country where the action is implemented (in total 30 persons). The groups created in Romania associated with the Babes-Bolyai University will be composed of members belonging to transnational families from Moldova and Ukraine.
Research and data collection capacity building workshops will also be organised (75 participants: researchers/ data collectors, children of labour migrants and parents consulted, students/volunteers)
What is the aim of the research?
The information obtained with this research will support Moldova and Ukraine in improving their protection system and the lives of the children affected by migration.
The data collection will follow the following dimensions: destination country of the adult migrant, the length of parental absence, the type of employment (high-skilled or low-skilled labour), the type of transnational family (one or both parents), parental marital status (single, married, divorced), the child’s gender and age at the time of departure, and the identity of the remaining caregiver (parent, grandparent, sibling, neighbour). The perspectives of both the families and the local authorities will be addressed. Based on the transcription of interviews and focus groups, a summary of lessons learnt/ most relevant testimonials will be made available in English by each academic institution in the three countries and will be centralized by Babeș-Bolyai University.
Preparing the research
An International Colloquium will take place between September 14 -16 at the Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj, where the team will present the social, legal and rights status of transnational families, and discuss the establishment of the Research Centre for the Study of Transnational Families. Last but not least, this meeting will be an opportunity for a consultation with institutional stakeholders related to the action and networking with related centers and actions/projects.
The event will take place in a hybrid format, on September 14 -16. The language of the event will be English. Participants are welcome to join online (for those interested, more information is available at veronica.savu@ubbcluj.ro ).
The action CASTLE - Children left behind by labour migration is co-financed by the European Union, contracted by ICMPD (International Centre for Migration Policy Development) through the MPF (Migration Partnership Facility) and unfolds during the 15th of June 2021 - 15th of December 2023 period. The contents of this article are the sole responsibility of the partners implementing the CASTLE action and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union and the one of ICMPD.
