Children’s home lives in the context of parental migration in South Africa

The dispersal of parents and siblings between multiple households is a commonplace experience for many children in SouthAfrica. The conditions and experiences of children living apart from their migrant parents have long been a source of concern for researchers, government and non-governmental organisations. Few sources of empirical data are available that adequately allow us to situate childhood experiences within the context of changing parental circumstances including work, migration, cohabitation, relationship stability and parental death. This paper explores the social and residential dynamics of migrant parents and their children in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa using detailed, longitudinal data about members of rural households in a demographic surveillance population, and a linked sample survey of adult migrants. We describe the migratory and residential experiences, and socio-demographic characteristics of 236 migrant parents and 460 of their biological children (less than 18 years) reported in surveillance or survey interviews. One quarter of the migrant parents reported at least one child as being a member of both their destination and origin households. The majority of parents (72%; 67% of mothers and 84% of fathers, p<.05) did not report any of their children as members of their destination household. Thirty percent of these 'left-behind' children were resident locally but were not living in the 'origin' household of their migrant parent. We explore factors associated with types of dispersed family arrangements and the extent of children's residential stability by age. These findings contribute to understanding the dynamic and multiple spaces in which children and their parents live.

Bennett, R.

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Hosegood, V.

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Newell, M.L.

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McGrath, N.

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September 2011