Community-Based Intervention to Improve the Well-Being of Children Left Behind by Migrant Parents in Rural China

Abstract

In rural China around 60 million left-behind children (LBC) experience prolonged separation from migrant worker parents. They are vulnerable to a range of psychosocial problems. The aim of this study was to determine whether a community-based intervention consisting of Children’s Centres can improve psychosocial well-being and school performance of these children. The intervention was carried out in 20 villages, for children aged 7 to 15 years, irrespective of left-behind status. Nine hundred and twenty children, 438 LBC and 256 children living with parents (RC) attended the Centres. At follow-up after one year, there were improvements compared to baseline in total difficulties (measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) in children left behind by both parents (p = 0.009), children left behind by one parent (p = 0.008) and RC (p = 0.05). Postintervention school performance significantly improved in both categories of LBC (p < 0.001), but not RC (p = 0.07); social support score increased in both categories of LBC (p < 0.001) and RC (p = 0.01). Findings from interviews with key stakeholders were overwhelmingly positive about the impacts. With strong local leadership and community motivation, a low-cost intervention can improve children’s psychosocial well-being in these settings. Allowing communities to adapt the model to their own situation fosters local ownership, commitment, with benefits for children, parents, carers, and communities.

The health status and related interventions for children left behind due to parental migration in the Philippines: A scoping review

“…7 Likewise, evidence from rural China shows the development of local Children's Centres targeting and supporting the psychosocial well-being of LBC between 7 to 15 years old. 52 The existence of these programs in other contexts indicates a recognition of the burden associated from parental separation, but similar government-institutionalized interventions remain absent in the Philippines.…”

Health problems faced by left-behind children in low/middle-income countries

“…In a migrant-sending area of rural China, community volunteers, college students and retired workers set up children’s clubs to help left-behind children with study, psychological counselling and emotional support. Preliminary outcomes indicated the success of establishing a community care platform to benefit left-behind children’s health and development to enhance the community support networks 35…”

“…Preliminary outcomes indicated the success of establishing a community care platform to benefit left-behind children’s health and development to enhance the community support networks. 35 …”

Family responsive care mediating the home visiting effects on left‐behind children's early development in rural China

“…Researchers from China have explored some intervention techniques to enhance cognition, social adaption, and emotional resilience of rural left‐behind children (Gao, Zhao, Huang, et al, 2018; Guan & Deng, 2019; Jiang et al, 2020; Zhang et al, 2020). The majority of intervention programmes is based on community or school and aimed at children older than 6 years old.…”