Over 62% of children have one or both of parents working abroad

Some 62.6% of children in Moldova live either with one of the parents because the other one works abroad or with grandparents or relatives when both of the parents are out of the country. A study made public in Chisinau on November 27 shows that more than 105,000 children of the about 168,000 surveyed have their parents working abroad, Info-Prim Neo reports. Of the approximately 38,000 children who do not have their parents near them, only about 15% are under tutelage or custody, instituted as a form of legal representation and protection. A number of 175 children live alone. Specialists say that tutelage is most often instituted in the case of children in difficulty. Almost half of them have a guardian. Only 12% of the children whose parents work abroad are under tutelage. The study authors established that the children whose parents emigrated to Western Europe are put under tutelage more often than those whose parents went to Russia. During the presentation of the study, Minister of Labor, Social Protection and Family Valentina Buliga said that every district will have a database on children who are in difficulty or are affected by the absence of their parents. This way, the authorities will know how to work with them. Valentina Buliga also said that according to the study, the children affected by their parents’ migration face practically the same problems as those who come from socially deprived families. There is only one difference - the first have better living conditions. Thus, about 38% of the children of migrants and over 46% of the children in difficulty said that they are often being yelled at in the place where they live. A part of the surveyed children said they smoke and drink alcohol. This percentage is higher in the case of children in difficulty. The study authors stressed the necessity of directing social services at almost 35% of the children of migrants and 56% of the children in difficulty. The main groups in risky situations include children who live alone or those with deviant behavior as well as children who work to earn their living and the socially isolated ones. The study was carried out on the initiative of the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family and was financed by the EU, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies of Italy, the International Organization for Migration's Mission to Moldova, and the Czech Development Agency.