Economics
The Impact of Transnational Migration on Kinship Caregiving Arrangements
Quick fact
According to a 2018 study, over 60% of children left behind by migrant parents report emotional distress, and many are cared for by grandparents or other relatives who also face increased burdens.
Why this is interesting
When a parent leaves to work abroad, who takes care of the child they leave behind? And what happens to the grandparents they were once caring for?
Read the full explanation
Understanding The Impact of Transnational Migration on Kinship Caregiving Arrangements
Imagine a family where one or both parents leave their home country to seek work elsewhere, a situation common in many developing nations. In their absence, the responsibility for raising their children often shifts to grandparents, aunts, or older siblings. This is kinship caregiving—the care of children by extended family members. But the impact goes beyond just child care; it also affects care for the elderly. When adult children migrate, their aging parents are left without their primary caregivers, so other relatives must step in, or the elderly may need to migrate themselves to receive care. Transnational migration, therefore, does not just move a person; it moves the entire web of care obligations. Family members who remain must renegotiate their roles, often taking on additional responsibilities without prior preparation. This creates a 'care chain' where each person's care duties shift to someone else, potentially leaving gaps and increasing stress for those who stay behind. The physical separation also transforms the nature of care, as it becomes more virtual and financially driven, rather than hands-on and daily.
A deeper explanation
The mechanism behind this shift is rooted in the economic rationale of migration: individuals move to earn higher wages and send remittances home. This financial inflow can improve the material well-being of the family but often at the cost of daily presence. For children, the absence of a parent can lead to emotional and behavioral issues, despite financial gains. For elderly parents, the loss of a potential caregiver is critical, as they may need assistance with daily activities. The kinship network steps in, but not always with equal capacity. Often, grandparents become the caregivers for their grandchildren, which can strain their health and finances. At the same time, they may not receive the care they themselves need. This creates a double burden: caring for grandchildren while being underserved themselves. The phenomenon is not uniform; it depends on the gender of the migrant (mothers' migration often has a stronger effect on children's care), the availability of kin, and the cultural expectations of care. Ultimately, transnational migration redefines kinship caregiving from a proximity-based system to a distance-based one, relying on remittances and communication to bridge the gap. This matters because it affects the well-being of millions of children and elderly, and it shapes policy needs in both sending and receiving countries.