1670 © 2025 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. Analysis of factors influencing the family education of rural migrants’ children in Dongguan, China Huiqiao Guo1 Syazwani Drani2+ 1,2Social Work Department, School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia 11800 Gelugor, Penang, Malaysia. 1Email: huiqiao.g@student.usm.my 2Email: syazwanid@usm.my (+ Corresponding author) ABSTRACT Article History Received: 25 June 2025 Revised: 24 September 2025 Accepted: 28 October 2025 Published: 12 November 2025 Keywords Family education Influencing factors Multi-agency collaboration Rural migrant children Social work service. Since China's economic reform and opening, there has been a massive migration of people from rural to urban regions, resulting in a significant increase in the number of children from rural migrant families. Many of these families struggle to access public services and manage family affairs in the cities where they reside, especially because they bring their children with them. This study examines the "family-related difficulties" faced by rural migrant families, focusing on factors that affect their children’s family education. These factors include the family education environment, family education mode, and family education content. The study used questionnaire-based surveys to collect data; in addition to questionnaires, data were gathered through observation, and observational notes were also recorded during site visits to supplement and contextualize participants’ responses. The analysis reveals that these three factors significantly influence family education. To enhance the development of family education for these children, targeted social work interventions that link family education to social and governmental resources are essential. Social workers can play their role of linking social resources by integrating the strengths of schools, communities, and the government. Based on the actual needs of families with migrant children, social workers take the initiative to connect with schools, communities, and governmental organizations to establish a cooperation network, implementing targeted intervention strategies, improving the quality of family education for rural migrant children, and promoting their healthy development. Contribution/Originality: This study documents the influencing factors of family education among rural migrant children and analyzes how social workers can effectively improve the family education environment by linking rural migrant families with educational resources through multi-agency collaboration. 1. INTRODUCTION Since the introduction of China's reform and opening-up policy, particularly in the 1990s, the economy has experienced rapid and sustained growth. This has resulted in a significant migration of rural populations from central and western regions to urban centers, including small, medium, and large cities. The seventh national census in China (National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2021) reported that the rural migrant population exceeded 376 million individuals in 2020, surpassing the total population of the United States, which was recorded at 331 million that year. As China's population continues to grow, the number of children in this group will also increase. Based on data from “The State of China's Child Population in 2020: Facts and Figures” (National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2023) the Seventh Census Data (National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2021) and Education Statistics spanning from 2015 to 2020 (Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, 2021) it is estimated that there were approximately Humanities and Social Sciences Letters 2025 Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 1670-1681 ISSN(e): 2312-4318 ISSN(p): 2312-5659 DOI: 10.18488/73.v13i4.4540 © 2025 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4639-7480 mailto:huiqiao.g@student.usm.my mailto:syazwanid@usm.my https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2241-6547 https://www.doi.org/10.18488/73.v13i4.4540 Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2025, 13(4): 1670-1681 1671 © 2025 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 130 million children in China's migrant population by 2020. This implies that over 40% of all children in China, or one in four on average, are children of rural migrants. The primary issue for many rural migrant families who choose to migrate with their children is ensuring their education. Due to the lack of urban household registration status (hukou), children of rural migrants in Chinese cities do not enjoy the same educational opportunities as local children (Liang, Yue, Li, Li, & Zhou, 2020). These families face a variety of challenges when trying to integrate and communicate effectively in their urban environment. Moreover, due to their parents' lower socioeconomic status, these children without a local urban hukou are more likely to experience inadequate family educational support, compounded by the difficulties associated with enrolling in public schools (Jin, Liu, & Liu, 2017). The 2016 China Migrants Children's Education Development Report states that "the primary issue with the education of migrant children lies in the absence of parental guidance." In recent years, several rules and policy documents have been released with the goal of improving support services for low-income families and children with special needs. These include the People's Republic of China's Law on the Promotion of Family Education, the Five- Year Plan on Guiding and Promoting Family Education (2016–2020), and the Outline of China's Children's Development (2021–2030). Given the evolving needs for family education, it is imperative to assess the current state of family education among rural migrant children, identify the factors affecting their family education, and devise more customized family education guidance services. Importantly, family education cannot be substituted by social or academic education as the primary form of education for these children. It is crucial for the development of rural migrants' children and requires active parental participation in home-school communication. Family education extends beyond mere learning; it entails entire families forging new relationships, perspectives, and attitudes as they learn together, contributing to their integration into their family, local, and broader communities (Barratt-Peacock, 2003; Liu, 2016). Previous studies by Zhou (2017), Chan (2019), and Shao (2017) examined the effects on family education for children of rural migrants, focusing primarily on the educational attainment, job content, and educational philosophies of migrant workers, as well as the subjective atmosphere and content of family education. Pang (2018) and Ding (2021) primarily focused on the family's financial status, the educational background of migrant workers, the subjective environment of family education, and the mode of family education delivery. Children from migrant families tend to perform better academically, develop stronger moral character, and achieve higher literacy levels when their parents are actively involved in home-school coeducation. There is a positive correlation between family education and a child's adaptability in both school and society (Çelik & İçduygu, 2019; Han & Zhou, 2023; Zeng et al., 2020; Zhong & Zhang, 2022). However, due to various reasons, such as parenting styles, family dynamics, and migration modes, children of migrants often have a weak sense of family identity and a low family integration status. Only about 50% of rural migrants' children exhibit strong family integration, while 10% of them struggle to connect with their families (Wang, 2021). Practical challenges faced by migrant families can hinder their children's education. These include a lack of parental skills, time, and financial constraints in supporting education, and a disconnect between social education, school, and family (Hou & Tong, 2022; Pan & Yang, 2019; Wu & Peng, 2021). Accordingly, some researchers have used social work techniques to maximize the effectiveness of social work services in helping migrant families with their children's educational needs, yielding immediate positive outcomes (Chen & Zhu, 2021; Miao, 2021; Pan & Yang, 2019). Several scholars argue for strengthening the family's external support system, emphasizing the role of social organizations, and developing the family's internal capacity (Yuan & Feng, 2021; Zhang & Ma, 2020). However, the existing literature offers limited analysis of factors influencing the family education of rural migrants' children. Much of the current literature remains descriptive, often overlooking the structural and contextual roots of these issues. Since only Zhou (2017) discussed findings related to the extracurricular education of Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2025, 13(4): 1670-1681 1672 © 2025 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. migrants' children, this study has an advantage over others in that it also examines the effects of home education content on the education of migrants' children. This study addresses that gap by systematically examining the fundamental causes of deficiencies in family education, focusing on three critical dimensions: the educational environment within the family, the modes of parental engagement, and the content delivered at home. It takes rural migrant families in Dongguan City as a case study. Drawing on social work principles, it further proposes a practical framework, thereby enhancing the family educational environment and psychosocial well-being of rural migrant children. Through this integrative approach, the study establishes a foundation for targeted, purpose-driven interventions. To support this analysis, the following conceptual framework defines the core constructs of the study. It begins with an overview of the rural migrant child population and then outlines the key elements of family education. These concepts inform both the data collection and interpretation stages of the research. 2. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 2.1. Rural Migrants’ Children The study focuses on Chinese rural migrants' children who relocate to cities for longer than six months with their parents to live and pursue education. These children, who are of school age and capable of learning, will be referred to in this study as "rural migrants' children." This group includes children and teenagers aged six to fifteen who are enrolled in compulsory education (Pan & Yang, 2019). When migrating, internal migrants may face discrimination or exclusion similar to that of international migrants. Although internal migrant students encounter fewer cultural, linguistic, and academic changes, they may still be stigmatized and marginalized by locals in their host communities (Kim, Tong, & Sun, 2021). Therefore, greater attention must be paid to the home environment and educational opportunities of rural migrants' children to ensure their healthy development. 2.2. Family Education Family education, known as "home schooling" in Europe and the US, is an alternative to formal education where parents or paid tutors teach children at home (Arai, 2000; Lubienski, 2003; Morton, 2010). Parents choose the homeschooling methods. However, the analysis of family education in this study differs from other studies conducted in the United States and Europe. Here, "family education" refers to the conscious efforts undertaken by parents or other adults to mold a child's morals, feelings, and intellect. These efforts subtly yet profoundly impact a child's learning, emotional development, and moral behavior. Family education in this context is seen as the cornerstone and a complement to formal education. According to Jin et al. (2017) and Pang (2018), it is the primary source of socialization and an essential component of the educational system. 3. METHOD 3.1. Sample Dongguan, dubbed the "Factory of the World" and one of China’s most advanced industrial centers, is home to a large number of rural migrant workers. The Dongguan education department reported that 1,085,300 non-resident migrant children were enrolled in primary, secondary, and kindergarten programs in the city in 2020. This represents 10 percent of all migrant students in the country and 66.72% of all students in Dongguan. This makes Dongguan an ideal location for the survey. This study surveyed parents of rural migrant children aged six to fifteen regarding household factors influencing their children's education. Conducted in public spaces such as shopping malls, open-air food stalls, and community areas located in the urban-rural fringe zones of Dongguan, China, the survey took place during October and November 2023. Since the research was carried out independently in everyday public settings rather than in partnership with schools or universities, no specific institutional affiliations are applicable. Participants were recruited Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2025, 13(4): 1670-1681 1673 © 2025 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. through referrals (68%) and random selection (32%), resulting in 400 parents enrolled and 320 valid questionnaires returned. 3.2. Measures Prior to the study, participants were informed that their responses would be kept confidential and were asked to answer truthfully. The survey was administered with the respondents' verbal consent. Data was collected through questionnaires. The questionnaire used to gather information on family education for children of rural migrants was adapted to align with the study's objectives, following Zhang's (2016) version. Several items that were not closely relevant to the context of rural migrant families were removed, while new items focusing on children’s family education were added. The revised questionnaire was first reviewed by two education scholars to ensure content validity. A small pilot test with 30 parents was then conducted to identify and revise any ambiguous items. The final version of the questionnaire demonstrated good internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.82. The survey comprised 32 questions covering topics such as family education study, family education mode, and family education topics. Participants were provided with an electronic link to complete the survey independently, which took approximately 10-15 minutes. The first section of the survey collected information on parents' age, education level, occupation, family income, the percentage of total family expenses allocated to their children's education, and access to professional advice and training on family education for parents in the community and schools. These details were used to assess the influence of the family education environment on the family education of rural migrants’ children. The second section included questions such as “Do you frequently express approval to your children?” and “Do you engage in any behaviors in front of your children, such as drinking, smoking, or fighting?” Questions like “Did you receive homework advice?” and “Would you enroll your children in interest classes?” were also included to explore the impact of parenting modes on the education of rural migrant children. The third section asked questions like “Would you bring your children to museums of science and technology, libraries, etc.?” to evaluate how family education content affects the home education of rural migrant children. The author hypothesizes that rural migrant families negatively affect their family education in terms of the educational environment, mode of education, and content of education. The author collected data using the questionnaire on the following topics: the family education environment for migrant children, the formats family education takes, and the kind of content parents offer. By investigating these facets, the author seeks to gain a deeper understanding of the factors influencing migrant children's family education. While various factors can affect family education for children of rural migrants, the author argues that the three most significant are the family education environment, family education mode, and family education content. 3.3. Observations In addition to questionnaires, non-participant observations were conducted in public areas such as shopping malls, open-air food stalls, and community areas. Over the two-month study period, 20 rural migrant families were observed, with daily logs recorded focusing on parent–child interactions. The data analysis adopts a thematic analysis method, which is independently coded by researchers and compared, ultimately extracting three core educational practice models to complement survey findings. 4. ANALYSES The study utilized SPSS version 27 for data analysis. Frequency analysis was employed to determine the occurrence rate of variables. This statistical method facilitated the counting of characteristics such as age and occupation within the sample. By comparing the object variable and identifying outcome characteristics, meaningful conclusions regarding the factors influencing the education of rural migrant children could be drawn. Consistent measurements and units were maintained throughout the research. For construct validity, the data were evaluated Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2025, 13(4): 1670-1681 1674 © 2025 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. using the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure and Cronbach's alpha. The SPSS analysis indicated a satisfactory level of reliability for the questionnaire, with a Cronbach's alpha score above 0.7, approaching 1. Additionally, the KMO value exceeding 0.7 suggested a strong association between the variables. Besides these statistical indicators, construct validity was addressed through reviews by two education specialists during questionnaire development and was refined via a pilot test to ensure that the items accurately reflected the key dimensions of family education in rural migrant contexts. 5. RESULT The author begins with some descriptive statistics, providing information about the age, literacy, and income levels of the participants' families from the survey. Table 1 lists a total of 320 survey participants, all of whom are rural migrant workers who have moved from the rural district to the city. It is worth noting that rural migrant workers exhibit low levels of education and family income. This aligns with the findings of Pang (2018) and Zhang, Chen, Su, and Qi (2017) and other researchers, indicating that most rural migrant workers come from relatively remote and underdeveloped rural areas, possess limited cultural and linguistic knowledge, generally have low levels of education, and live in less favorable economic and family conditions compared to local families. The study also highlights the nature of rural migrants’ employment, often characterized by high risk, intense labor, and long working hours. Additionally, Table 2 shows that in the previous year, educational expenses for children accounted for approximately 5–10% of the total family expenses for rural migrant workers. Furthermore, these workers often lack the time to supervise their children's at-home schooling and cannot offer substantial financial support or educational opportunities. Table 1. Participants’ family situation. Frequency Percent Age <30 52 15.3 31~40 205 60.3 41~50 44 12.9 ＞50 39 11.5 Total 340 100 Number of children One 109 32.1 Two 176 51.8 Two more 55 16.2 Total 340 100 Degree of education High school & vocational school 65 19.1 Junior high school 176 51.8 Below primary school 99 29.1 Total 340 100 Occupation Service workers (catering waiters, drivers, sales, etc.) 127 37.4 Freelancers (Courier/Running drops, etc.) 28 8.2 Individuals (running small shops/Stalls, etc.) 85 25 Workers (factory workers, construction workers, sanitation workers, etc.) 70 20.6 Company employees 30 8.8 Total 340 100 Monthly household income Less than 5000RMB 119 35 5000-10000RMB 169 49.7 10000-15000RMB 37 10.9 Above 15000RMB 15 4.4 Total 340 100 According to feedback from the Guangdong Provincial Bureau of Statistics, the average wage of urban private sector employees in Dongguan City was 79,015 yuan in 2022; the minimum wage in Dongguan is RM2,300. Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2025, 13(4): 1670-1681 1675 © 2025 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. Table 2. Child's educational expenses. Frequency Percent In the last year, your child's educational expenses accounted for a portion of your overall household expenditure. Less than 5% 80 23.5 5%—10% 158 46.5 10%—15% 64 18.8 More than 15% 38 11.2 Total 340 100 Table 3 shows that 73.5% of respondents reported that their communities or the schools their children attend do not offer any parenting schools, homeschooling salons, or other family education-related communication training programs. However, 91.2% of survey participants believed that professional guidance and training in family education were necessary for the children of rural migrants. Additionally, they expressed an interest in learning about effective family education techniques and approaches, scientific materials related to family education, and strategies for fostering positive parent-child relationships. Table 3. Training in family education. Frequency Percent Does your community or your child's school provide opportunities for parent schools, homeschooling salons, and other forms of communication and education regarding family education? Yes 71 20.9 No 250 73.5 Not understand 19 5.6 Total 340 100 Do you think there is a need for professional guidance and training on family education for migrants' children? Very necessary 310 91.2 Not very necessary 16 4.7 Unnecessary 14 4.1 Total 340 100 What area of knowledge concerning homeschooling issues would you most like to acquire? Effective homeschooling methods and techniques 97 28.5 Scientific content of home education 64 18.8 How to establish a good parent- child relationship 87 25.6 How to communicate with children 71 20.9 No 21 6.2 Total 340 100 Regarding parenting style (Table 4), the survey found that paternalism and persuasion account for 62.6% of the educational strategies employed by rural migrants to educate their offspring. This suggests that traditional methods are predominantly used at home to educate migrant children, while democratic and egalitarian alternatives are less prevalent. Conversely, family education benefits from an environment of relative democracy and educational equality. According to Zhang et al. (2017), excessive rigidity or laxity in parenting could be detrimental to the educational progress of rural migrant children. Table 4. Parenting style for children. Frequency Percent What is your approach to educating your own children? Friendly and equal communication 72 21.2 Didactic education 117 34.4 Forcing children to obey 96 28.2 Letting leave it to chance 55 16.2 Total 340 100 The results shown in Table 4 indicate that 16.2% of respondents allow their children to grow up independently, while 62.6% of rural migrants push their children to conform and use persuasive methods to educate them. Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2025, 13(4): 1670-1681 1676 © 2025 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. Furthermore, 21.2% of respondents engage with their children as peers and friends. Some parents even "let their children go" due to their lack of time and preoccupation with their jobs. Consequently, rural migrants' children do not receive adequate family education since some parents "let their children go" and do not check on them due to career demands. Table 5. Are children encouraged and praised regularly? Frequency Percent Do you regularly provide encouragement and praise to your children? Never. 186 54.7 Rarely. 95 27.9 Sometimes 38 11.2 Often 21 6.2 Total 340 100 Half of the interviewees reported that they had never praised or encouraged their children (Table 5). Only a small fraction, 6.2%, of participants reported that they consistently provided motivation or praise to their children, while over a third indicated that they did so occasionally. These findings indicate that rural migrants' children rarely receive attention, support, or guidance from their parents. Table 6. Parental behavior. Frequency Percent What do you think is the most effective way to teach your child when he or she makes a mistake? Severe chastisement or corporal punishment 140 71.2 Reasoning patiently 30 8.8 Ignoring 68 20 Total 340 100 Do you or your family engage in arguments, smoking, drinking, or gambling in front of your children? Never. 13 3.8 Rarely. 31 9.1 Sometimes 143 42.1 Often 153 45 Total 340 100 According to Table 6, 8.8% of respondents stated they would exercise patience and reason with a child when they made a mistake, compared to 71.2% who believed reprimanding or physically punishing the child was the most effective teaching method. Furthermore, the author observes that most parents are unaware of their own poor behavior and do not realize the importance of leading by example. The survey revealed that 87.1% of participants admitted to occasionally or frequently engaging in smoking, drinking, and arguments with their children. As the saying goes, parents are a child's first teachers, and their personal conduct serves as a significant influence on a child's development. The upbringing of a child can be greatly shaped by positive personal development. However, observing the cultivation of positive "leading patterns" among the parents of these rural migrant children proves challenging in this study. Table 7. Length of time rural migrants’ parents spend with their children. Frequency Percent How much time do you spend with your child every day (referring to emotional accompaniment, communication, etc.) (excluding meals and bedtime)? Three hours and above 17 5 Two to three hours 36 10.6 One to two hours 151 44.4 Less than one hour 136 40 Total 340 100 Most respondents (84.4%, as shown in Table 7) cited reasons such as heavy workload, the adoption of a "free- range" parenting style, occasional requests, and fewer than two hours of daily monitoring as factors why rural migrant children in their households might not receive adequate education. Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2025, 13(4): 1670-1681 1677 © 2025 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. Regarding the survey findings on the most significant role of family education (Table 8), nearly half of the respondents (around 50%) emphasized the importance of encouraging children to work hard in school. Additionally, 33.2% of respondents highlighted fostering healthy growth and good behavior, while 18% emphasized nurturing a child's interests and abilities. This implies that the majority of parents of rural migrant children place a significant emphasis on academic performance, viewing grades as the cornerstone of their intellectual development. Table 8. What do you think is the most important task of family education? Frequency Percent What do you think is the most important task of family education? Cultivate children's interests and abilities 61 18 Be able to grow up healthy and with good behavior. 113 33.2 Urge children to study well 166 48.8 Total 340 100 Regarding their expectations for their children's education, over half of the respondents (Table 9) expressed a desire for their children to excel in every subject, while 15.6% indicated a lack of concern about their children's academic performance. Most rural migrant parents believe that academic success is crucial for children’s intellectual development and excessively emphasize their children's grades, believing that grades are the sole indicators of success. Notably, a significant communication gap exists between the respondents and the institutions. According to the survey, 81.7% of respondents reported communicating with the school only occasionally or never, while 18.2% stated they communicated with teachers regularly or frequently. Table 9. Respondents’ expectations of their children. Frequency Percent Your expectations of your child's learning ability are You must be as good as you can be in every subject. 159 46.8 A pass or better in all subjects is enough. 128 37.6 It doesn't matter. 53 15.6 Total 340 100 Do you maintain regular contact with your child's homeroom teacher, classroom teachers, and other relevant personnel to monitor your child's academic progress and well-being in school? Always knows exactly what is going on with your child at school. 28 8.2 More frequent communication with schoolteachers 34 10 Less often, occasional contact 161 47.3 Never 117 34.4 Total 340 100 Table 10. Respondents' concerns about their children's emotions. Frequency Percent Are you able to comfort your child after an upsetting event? Every time. 13 3.8 Most of the time. 34 10 Rarely. 135 39.7 Never. 158 46.5 Total 340 100 The main ways you communicate with your child are Formal conversation 31 9.1 Chatting 217 63.8 Playing games 50 14.7 Accompany with homework 42 12.4 Total 340 100 Are you able to easily detect changes in your child's mood? Yes. 11 3.2 Not really. 232 68.2 No, I can't. 97 28.5 Total 340 100 Family education should include a broad spectrum of topics, such as instilling moral habits, cultivating moral ideals, promoting mental and physical well-being, and integrating both intellectual and non-intellectual aspects (Table 10). The survey revealed that the majority of respondents (63.8%) rarely engage in formal or heart-to-heart Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2025, 13(4): 1670-1681 1678 © 2025 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. conversations, with small talk being the primary mode of communication with children. Only 10% reported frequently consoling their children during difficult situations, while 68.2% expressed difficulty recognizing emotional changes in their children. Improper parental supervision during this critical phase of moral and psychological development can lead to undesirable traits in children of rural migrants, such as a lack of initiative, dishonesty, a focus only on personal gains, indifference toward family, friends, neighbors, and society, and a lack of social responsibility. Table 11 shows that 64.4% of respondents rarely or sporadically took their children to science and technology museums, children's palaces, or libraries on holidays. Moreover, 55% of respondents indicated that their children owned between zero and five books outside of school. Among those surveyed, 63.5% mentioned that their children participated in one to three interest classes. These findings highlight a significant lack of learning spaces, opportunities, and environments for children from migrant families. This deficiency proves detrimental to their ability to develop diverse interests, creativity, and curiosity. Table 11. Extracurricular activities for rural migrants’ children. Frequency Percent Do you take your children to places like libraries, juvenile halls, and science and technology museums during the holidays? Frequently 38 11.2 Occasionally 87 25.6 Rarely 132 38.8 Never 83 24.4 Total 340 100 In addition to textbooks, what is the number of extracurricular books the child owns? 0-5 books 187 55 6-10 books 109 32.1 10-30 books 40 11.8 30 more 4 1.2 Total 340 100 Does your child participate in extracurricular activities such as art, music, sports, or similar pursuits outside of school hours? Not have 70 20.6 1-3 216 63.5 3 more 54 15.9 Total 340 100 Additionally, the author employed observational methods. During the holiday season, the author observed various small shops and booths in roadside businesses and shopping centers, as they are primarily owned by rural migrant laborers. The author observed that shopkeepers' children often assist their parents from dawn to dusk. While learning, these children engage in activities such as playing games on their phones late into the night, catching up with friends, or watching short films on their phones. However, they essentially learn on their own without direct parental supervision, and occasionally, their parents assign them tasks to complete. 6. DISCUSSIONS Using an observational and questionnaire-based survey approach, this study investigated how family educational content, mode, and environment affect the family education of rural migrants' children. The findings indicate that all three variables significantly impact family education outcomes. Regarding the family education environment for migrant workers, findings indicate low levels of educational attainment among parents who are engaged in labor- intensive, low-end industries with limited family incomes. This aligns with the findings of Pang (2018) and Zhang et al. (2017), and other researchers, indicating that most rural migrant workers come from relatively remote and underdeveloped rural areas, possess limited cultural and linguistic knowledge, generally have low levels of education, and live in less favorable economic and family conditions compared to local families. They also have limited time to spend with their children. Additionally, there is a lack of parenting schools or family education training programs in their neighborhoods. In terms of family education mode, rural migrant workers tend to adopt traditional methods, focusing primarily on coercive and persuasive instruction. Children often face physical punishment or severe reprimands for misbehavior, with little encouragement to abstain from smoking, drinking, or fighting in front of Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2025, 13(4): 1670-1681 1679 © 2025 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. others. Regarding family education content, migrant workers place a premium on their children’s academic achievements but struggle to recognize emotional changes in their children. They may not proactively engage in their children’s schooling, neglect their children’s physical and mental well-being, and provide limited opportunities for extracurricular activities. This study used in-depth research to analyze factors affecting family education within migrant families. Since only Zhou (2017) discussed findings related to the extracurricular education of migrants’ children, this study has an advantage over others in that it also examines the effects of home education content on the education of migrants’ children. However, a limitation of this study lies in solely focusing on family dynamics, neglecting the impact of society and schools on migrants’ children’s family education. Notwithstanding this limitation, this study seeks to empower families of rural migrant children to initiate changes in family education practices, thereby enhancing the quality of education parents provide to their children. 7. CONCLUSION The hypothesis that rural migrants negatively influence the family educational upbringing of migrants' children with regard to the educational environment, method of instruction, and content of education is supported by the study's findings. These three factors are found to have a negative impact on the family education of rural migrants' children. The parents of rural migrants' children typically have low educational qualifications, which affects their approach to family education. Harsh or reprimanding parents can cause children to dislike education, potentially creating a vicious cycle that negatively affects their academic performance. Moreover, due to the unique circumstances surrounding migrant families' living and working conditions, parents often have limited time and resources to invest in their children's psychological needs. Consequently, there is a significant lack of learning opportunities in terms of resources, atmosphere, and venues. In addition to academic concerns, this disregard for psychological well-being can impair children's adaptation skills, self-efficacy, and ability to overcome obstacles (Li, 2017; Zhou, 2017). Therefore, improving the quality of education for migrant children and promoting their healthy development can be achieved by examining the factors affecting their families and educational outcomes, implementing targeted intervention strategies, and applying an empirical social work approach to implement targeted treatments. Under these circumstances, the involvement of social forces through school communities and social organizations is crucial. Schools can foster parent-child collaboration through a variety of initiatives, such as parent schools, open days, and family education seminars. These efforts can assist parents in understanding the educational principles taught in school so that they can reinforce them at home. Parents must recognize the importance of family education in their child's development, and increasing their awareness can foster synergy in family education. By utilizing available community resources, teacher volunteers can be assigned to provide tailored assistance, considering the unique obstacles mobile families face in providing for their children's education. The objective is to help rural migrant parents enhance their sense of accomplishment, self-belief, educational skills, and self-awareness. To ensure that parents of rural migrant children understand their roles and responsibilities as primary family education providers, society and the community should raise public awareness about the importance of family education and implement pertinent activities. By doing so, parents can foster their children's uniqueness and healthy physical and mental development while actively participating in their family education. Furthermore, improving work and social security for rural migrant workers helps protect their rights and allows them more time to participate in their children's education. Parents should also continue learning to support their children¡¯s moral and psychological growth, reflect on their parenting, and share experiences with others. A calm and supportive home environment, along with balanced and thoughtful parenting, can foster children¡¯s independence, civic awareness, and social responsibility. Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2025, 13(4): 1670-1681 1680 © 2025 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. Funding: This study received no specific financial support. Institutional Review Board Statement: The Ethical Committee of the Guangdong University of Science & Technology, China has granted approval for this study on 30 June 2023 (Ref. No. GDUST232780-22). Transparency: The authors state that the manuscript is honest, truthful, and transparent, that no key aspects of the investigation have been omitted, and that any differences from the study as planned have been clarified. This study followed all writing ethics. Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Authors’ Contributions: Both authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study. Both authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. REFERENCES Arai, A. B. (2000). Reasons for home schooling in Canada. 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