Migration affects the emotional and physical health of children and elderly people left behind

The mass migration of workforce from Moldova affects the emotional and physical health of children and elderly people left without care. A study on this phenomenon showed severe problems that children have to face, such as the lack of understanding, exploitation through labor, physical, psychological and sexual abuse, Info-Prim Neo reports. “The research brings us a full view over the impact of migration on children and elderly people left without care and on the social policies carried in Moldova”, said Diana Cheianu-Andrei, coordinator of the experts team and department head at the State University of Moldova. The study proved grandparents’ crucial role in the education, care and raising of children, as well as the importance of school and teachers for such pupils. The grandparents are the best caretakers, as they can easier develop a positive and affectionate relationship and assure proper conditions for the development of child’s personality. Meanwhile, teacher can partially prevent some emotional issues and offer support, fulfilling their mission of “school parents”. “Through this study, we want to have a report on persons, both children and elderly, who were left behind as their relatives went abroad”, said Veronica Dumbraveanu, head of the Department for Children’s Rights and Family Protection within the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family. The report comprised several cases of emotional, physical and sexual abuses, of children’s and aged people’s exploitation through work, which cause physical and psychological exhaustion and can lead to suicide attempts. The migration of relatives also causes diet changes, which can affect persons’ nutritional balance. The lack of life skills and sexual education can further increase health risks for children. The study recommends the development of a national register of children and elderly people left without care, which could allow the creation and diversifying of social services according to their needs. The authors propose the improvement of the legal framework regarding the mechanism of establishing mandatory guardianship/tutorship for children and to increase the responsibility of parents leaving abroad through legal measures. The recommendations also include the distribution of information, new forms of social insurance to ensure a decent life at an old age, the revision of the job description for social workers that provide social services at home for elderly people. The study was developed by the Sociology Department of the Sociology and Social Assistance Faculty of the State University, in partnership with the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family, the International Organization for Migration and the UN Population Fund, with financial support from the European Commission, the Czech Agency for Development, via Czech Republic Caritas and the UN Population Fund.