More than 75,000 children have their parents gone to work abroad. Save the Children announces the development of information activities for parents returning to Romania during the summer holidays.
Nădlac, August 5, 2021 - At the end of 2020, 75,136 children had at least one parent working in other countries, according to official statistics [1] , which include only children registered with public social assistance services. Of these children, 22,662 had both parents gone abroad or came from families in which the sole provider parent is gone.
In this context, the organization Save the Children Romania, with the support of the Romanian Border Police, launches a series of information activities on the negative effects that parents' departure can have on children's development and the importance of the communication between parents at a distance with children at home, intended for parents who work abroad and return to Romania during the summer holidays.
According to the analysis carried out by Save the Children at the beginning of May 2021, out of a sample of 700 children whose parents have gone abroad from the beneficiaries of the organization's socio-educational programs, 4% have parents who have been gone for less than a year, 32% a period of one to three years, 37% of a period of four to six years, 18% of seven to nine years, and 9% of more than 10 years. Regarding the frequency of returns, if before the pandemic 12% of parents returned once every two years or less, 32% once a year, 29% twice a year, only 20% three times a year or more and in the case of 7% another situation was mentioned (most of the situations described being in fact related to breaking ties with children in the country), starting in March 2020, for 46% of parents the frequency of returns was lower, and for another 46% of them the frequency of returns remained the same.
"It is natural for parents to do everything in their power for the good of their children. It is very difficult to choose between sending the child to school and providing him with access to education, and ensuring his emotional security, as happens when the child grows up with his parents. Children left in the care of relatives are twice as vulnerable children: once by the social cleavage that sends their parents to earn money abroad and the second time by this psychological, emotional and social vulnerability. This issue has been exacerbated by the pandemic; The difficulties faced by children have also worsened, as well as the concern felt by distant parents and the difficulties faced by those in whose care the children remained”, explained the President of Save the Children Romania, Mr. Professor Dr. Mihai Gafencu.
During August, the Save the Children Organization will carry out, with the support of the Romanian Border Police, information activities on the needs of children left at home and the importance of communicating with them for parents returning to the country, at land and air border crossings. Their start will be given by the activities carried out by specialists and volunteers of the Save the Children Organization Timiș branch between August 5-6, at the Nădlac II Border Crossing Point, with the support of the Oradea Territorial Border Police Inspectorate.
At the same time, in August, through the Save the Children local centers, there will be sustained information and support activities for the parents of the children from the Save the Children programs in the country, local information caravans in rural areas and information activities in partnership with local authorities for parents, people in whose care the children remained and local authorities.
The activities are part of the information Stay close to your child !, carried out by Save the Children in partnership with the National Authority for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Children and Adoptions.
Services for the protection of children with parents abroad
The scale of the phenomenon of children with parents working abroad makes it necessary to develop a network of specialized services for these children. Save the Children has created such services, aimed at both children and their parents and the people in whose care the children have remained, since 2010, through 17 local programs. Over 9,800 children and 6,850 adults, in whose care they remained or parents, have so far benefited from direct intervention services. More than 124,000 people, parents, children and specialists, were informed about the negative impact that the parents' departure has on the children left at home, as well as about the obligations of the parents when leaving the country.
Contact person: Anca Stamin, Program Director Save the Children Organization, anca.stamin@salvaticopiii.ro, tel. - 0745.039.084
About Save the Children:
For 31 years, Save the Children Romania has been building social programs, public policies and solid practices for the benefit of the child in Romania. The expertise and complexity of projects at national level make the organization an essential social institution, whose role is to mediate between society and public authority, for the benefit of the child. In the more than three decades of activity, Save the Children has actively intervened in society, identifying concrete solutions to protect and support vulnerable children, and at the same time campaigned for a viable collaboration with decision-makers to ensure the best interests of the child. Save the Children has taken on the role of vigilant oversight of public authorities, so that they can implement lasting public policies that correct the causes that lead to the vulnerability of children. At the same time, the organization managed to create active solidarity networks, by encouraging the social responsibility of companies and society, in a broad sense. As a member of Save the Children, the world's largest independent organization that promotes children's rights and has 30 members and programs in more than 120 countries, our VISION is a world that respects every child's right to survival, education, protection and participation, taking on the MISSION to make significant progress in the way children are treated and in making immediate and lasting changes in their lives. More than 2,570,000 children were involved in Save the Children programs and campaigns.
[1] Data valid for December 31, 2020, National Authority for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Children and Adoptions, http://andpdca.gov.ro.
