Alternative Care Giving of Migrant Workers’ Children

Abstract

In 2010, approximately 50% of the labour migrants to the Middle East, were women, and of these over 90% were mothers. The districts of Amparai and Batticaloa were among the seven districts having the most number of migrants. This study was commissioned to study the scale of migration and the alternative care arrangements made for the children of migrant parents. The impact of migration on children’s rights, risk factors and protective measures available were also studied with data collected through a survey of over 350 households in the two districts. The study contested some earlier held misconceptions regarding migrant parents. What was also highlighted were the issues faced by children under alternative care, (alcohol abuse, poverty, corporal punishment, emotional trauma) and the resultant behaviour patterns and life choices made by the children (school drop outs, early marriages, child labour etc.)