Romanian mothers working abroad found it harder to get a job back home, study says
Romanian women who went abroad to work found it disproportionately harder to find work in their country compared to the men, according to data from a European study conducted by Save the Children Romania.
Parents in the study sample have been abroad for an average of six years, both mothers and fathers, and 67% of fathers and 75% of mothers who participated in the survey have been gone for more than three years. More than half of the parents with children left in the country are absent for one-third of their children’s childhood, especially during early primary school and preadolescence.
The main occupations of the parents included in the study are, for fathers: construction worker (50%), agricultural worker (12%), driver (8%), waiter (5%); and for mothers: elderly caregiver (17%), housekeeper (17%), agricultural worker (15%), cashier (10%).
Almost half (46%) of Romanian parents who have gone abroad to work justify their decision by citing an insufficient salary for the family, while 28% say the reason is to improve the family’s financial situation, 9% because they lost their job in Romania, 5% for reasons related to building/renovating/extending a house, and 3% for the additional income needed for their children’s education.
A significant difference between women and men is the double proportion among women (10% vs. 5% among men) who say they could not find a job in Romania, highlighting the need for employment opportunities for women with secondary and basic education.
Other differences also stand out. 48% of fathers say they do not feel psychological discomfort, while only 17% of mothers say the same. Loneliness (57%) and sadness (51%) characterize most mothers working abroad.
The feeling of being unable to cope with the situation in the destination country is felt by mothers (30%) three times more acutely than by fathers (11%). Even so, only 8–10% of parents working abroad say they have consulted a psychologist. The proportion is almost five times higher among women (14%) than among men (3%).
Roughly 82% of parents intend to give up working abroad in the coming years. The reasons that would convince them to give up working abroad sooner are related to better-paid jobs in Romania, mentioned by 75% of parents, lower taxes, mentioned by 51%, possible family problems in 46% of cases, and better healthcare infrastructure, mentioned by 41%. They are followed by better-quality public services (40%), improved educational infrastructure for children (37%), feeling safe in the country (22%), and advancing age (12%).
As for the relationship with the children left in the country, 41% of parents working abroad believe that what they miss most in their relationship with their child is the time spent together, 33% the important moments in the child’s life, 21% the child’s affection, and 6% communication with the child.
Approximately 91% of respondents consider that maintaining an emotional connection with their child/children in Romania is the main challenge they face as parents working abroad. 83% of parents mention problems with cultural integration and adaptation in the country of residence, while 26% mention communication with institutions in Romania.
“The phenomenon of children left behind in the country while their parents are forced to work abroad has multiple facets and consequences, both psycho-emotional and social. Most parents leave because they feel they have no choice in the country, to keep their children in socio-economic safety and to be able to support their children’s education,” said Gabriela Alexandrescu, Executive President of Save the Children Romania.
(Photo source: Antonio Guillem/Dreamstime.com)
