Less than half of Romanian parents working abroad come home during summer

Less than half (48%) of Romanian parents working in other countries travel for the summer vacation in Romania, while 36% of parents cannot come, and 15% were still undecided about coming to the country, according to data from a survey conducted by Save the Children Romania among beneficiaries of the program dedicated to children with parents abroad.

The main countries where mothers work are Italy (21%), Spain (17%), and Austria (12%), while for fathers, Germany (24%), Italy (22%), and the United Kingdom (14%) are the main countries.

As for the reasons why parents cannot come, one of the major factors is the lack of funds allocated for the trip to Romania.

Regarding the frequency of communication between children and their absent parents, according to the national study conducted by the organization, the majority of children, 45%, speak with the absent parent daily, 10% speak several times a day, 32% once every two to three days, 7% once a week, and 7% several times a month or less.

The survey also shows that 48% of parents working abroad come for the summer vacation in Romania, while 36% of parents cannot come, and 15% were still undecided about coming to the country. Those who cannot come cite the lack of money correlated with the fact that they have come/will come at another time of the year (Easter vacation, Christmas vacation) and the lack of the possibility to take leave during the summer period.

A small percentage of parents are taking their children abroad this summer, and unfortunately, there are parents who only sporadically maintain contact with their children in the country.

Among the parents who return to the country, 74% had made vacation plans with their children since July. 42% plan to contact the school their child attends – discussions with the teacher, class teacher, and other teachers; 39% plan to solve various family problems, 42% to solve various administrative problems, and 20% to solve various medical problems.

The survey was conducted by interviewing family members – either relatives/other individuals responsible for the children or the parent remaining in the country.

Save the Children Romania, with the support of the Romanian Border Police, is launching, for the third consecutive year, a series of informational activities for parents who return to Romania during the summer vacation period. The campaign details how parental migration can have negative effects on children's development.

“The physical distance between the child and the parent forced to work in other countries should not be compounded by emotional distance, especially since this is the stage when children begin to understand their emotions and learn how to react to negative situations. Our goal is to encourage closeness between parent and child, even where there is significant geographical distance. Furthermore, the ritual of the parent returning home, alongside the child, for vacations, is particularly important, as it rebuilds crucial emotional connections for the child,” said Gabriela Alexandrescu, executive president of Save the Children Romania.