Vast majority of Romanian parents abroad face difficulties maintaining their relationship with their children

Over three-quarters of Romanian parents living abroad say that maintaining an emotional connection with their child or children left in the care of relatives in Romania is the main challenge they face.

The responses were collected as part of a survey conducted by Save the Children among parents abroad whose children left in Romania are part of the organization’s support programs.

After the difficulty of maintaining an emotional connection come issues of cultural integration and adaptation in the country of residence, mentioned by approximately 25% of parents, followed by communication with institutions in Romania (the child’s school/kindergarten, city hall, tax authorities, etc.), specified by 18% of respondents.

According to the parents’ statements, 76% of them communicate daily with their children, 12% a few times a week, and the remaining 12% once a week or less. 72% communicate with their children via video call, 27% by phone/text message, and 1% by email.

Almost 81% of parents say they need more dedicated time for communicating with their child/children, 21% need more time dedicated to communicating with the person(s) caring for the child/children, 19% need psychological support for the children, and 12.4% need educational resources related to effective communication.

More than half of the parents in the survey say they would benefit from more resources to maintain a healthy and close relationship with children from a distance. Also needed is support for managing relationships with those caring for the children, educational resources for children, psychological counseling for parents, information about rights and services in the country of residence, a European child allowance, legal counseling, and support groups.

“Maintaining the connection with children left in the country is crucial, as it provides an emotional and psychological safety net without which children feel disoriented and lack confidence,” stated Gabriela Alexandrescu, Executive President of Save the Children Romania.

The survey was conducted as part of the Stay Close to Your Child project, implemented by Save the Children, funded by the Department for Romanians Abroad, from June to October 2024, intended for Romanian parents working abroad. The aim of the project was to raise awareness among Romanian parents working in other countries regarding the needs of children left at home, the importance of maintaining communication with them and with the persons responsible for their care, and the connection with the community of origin.

(Photo source: Save the Children)