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EXPLORING BEYOND SOCIAL SERVICES  

ADDRESSED TO ROMANIAN CHILDREN LEFT BEHIND 

 

Alina COSTIN 

Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad 

costintalina@gmail.com 

  

  

Abstract 

The child left behind (CLB) can feel the parents' migration as abandonment (Antman, 2013; 

Zhou, Murphy, Tao, 2014); in this case, the national legislation (Law 272/2004 and HG 

691/2015) provides an institutional mechanism that supports these children, and indirectly their 

families. We claim to explore the way field practice takes place by talking with social workers 

from public social assistance services. Three focus groups with 30 participants were organized 

and the group discussions revealed difficulties in the application of the law determined by 

cultural factors, the wrong representation of the role of PSAS1 in the community or 

misinformation. Five thematic units were outlined: a) low level of registration of parents who 

migrate, b) poor representation of PSAS in the community, c) the effectiveness of the 

interventions, d) the institutional mechanism, e) the condition of the children left behind. 

Implications for practice were discussed. 

 

Key words: children left behind, social workers, institutional mechanism. 

 

1.  Introduction 

Bryant (2007) catalos the children left behind, along with migrant children and interracial 

children, as children affected by migration. Although most studies on migration focus on the 

disadvantages of parental migration, there are numerous studies that show that there is also an 

 
1 PSAS: Public Social Assistance Service. services organized in the local public administration, in the immediate 
proximity of the citizen. The main responsibility: the application of social policies in order to prevent 

abandonment, marginalization and social exclusion 



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improvement in family life when the parent migrates (Dreby, 2007; Stevens și Vollebergh, 

2008; Jordan, Graham, 2012).   

It is widely assumed that migration and migration-related processes significantly affect the 

mental health of people (both adults and their children) (Aronowitz, 1984; Barrett, Moore, 

Sonderegger, 2000). Children left behind can feel their parents' migration as a form of rejection, 

even abandonment, resulting in mental disorders and low well-being, anxiety, sick, (Botezat, 

Pfeiffer, 2014), depression (Hu et al. 2018), behavioural problems, abuse of psychoactive 

substances, mental health problems (Xu et al., 2022). These children are subject to a multitude 

of risks: their vulnerability comes from the risks of abuse, neglect, abandonment, low self-

esteem, depression (Bakker, 2009). However, Battistella, Conaco, (1998) believes that the 

parent's migration itself causes psychological damage if the family in whose care the child 

remains does not counteract the effects of the absence of parents. 

Sun et al. 2015 understands that the situation of the child left behind is a challenge at the 

institutional level, and educators and parents are the first ones responsible, that must identify 

solutions to cover the needs of the children left behind. Too many CLBs (Bradbury et al. 2015) 

in a country without armed conflicts or serious economic or security problems; and yet, 86,263 

children have one or both parents working abroad. Migration embraced by so many people and 

families has become a social phenomenon and ultimately a social problem of a society that has 

not identified the solution to keep its citizens in the country. CLB are associated with poor 

academic results (Dee, Jacob, 2011), educationally disadvantaged, susceptible to developing 

psychosocial problems (Tang et al, 2018). 

There is a very rich academic literature on the subject of CLB, particularly focused on the 

impact of parental separation on the child's well-being. There are few studies about the types 

of services addressed to these children, or about the institutional mechanisms that make it 

possible to provide integrated services for these children. In any case, the anti-exclusion 

policies are focused on ensuring the access of these children to education, health and social 

services, a first condition in protecting their well-being being the appointment of a legal 

guardian/representative. 

Regarding the needs of the child left behind, the Romanian Legislation (HG 691/2015) 

makes the following provisions: the need to strengthen the relationship with the migration 

parent/parents; the need of the parent who takes care of the child to be informed on parenting 

topics; the need to monitor the child's well-being (in the family and at school) by organizing 

regular meetings with the family, specific needs by ensuring counselling. The institutions with 



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attributions in this sense are PSAS and school institutions. They can be involved in the social 

and educational assistance process of the child, CCREA2 or GDSACP 3. Darling-Hammond 

(2007) finds that there is more evaluation than intervention in the case of CLB. The author 

shows that the social inequality experienced by these children is not addressed realistically in 

school, and is not preceded by sustainable social services. Criticisms brought to the No 

Children Left Behind (NCLB) project have in mind the flawed strategies to improve the 

inclusion of these children through threats and sanctions rather than through significant 

investments in education and infrastructure. 

 

2. Problem Statement and Research Methodology 

The study involved a field investigation carried out in Arad, between October 2022 and 

February 2023, which involved the organization of three focus groups of ten participants each. 

The study is qualitative and aims to evaluate the perception of social workers regarding the 

problem of children with parents who have gone to work abroad. The method used was the 

group interview, i.e. the Focus Group (Bailey, 1994, Morgan, 1996, Marshall & Rossman, 

2006) which allowed the collection of data and the generation of new ideas as a result of the 

group's dynamics (Hill, Thompson, Williams, 1997; Brink,1993). The "content analysis" 

technique was used to analyse the data. We sought to identify the thematic units that were 

distinguished with quite high accuracy and to analyse their content (Mayring, 2000).  

Therefore, the present paper focuses on answering the following questions: 

What are the perceptions of the participants regarding the work with children left behind? 

What are the most important aspects of their professional practices in working with children 

left behind? 

 

3. Participants  

The participants were chosen using the purposive sampling method recommended in studies 

with a small number of individuals whose purpose is to evaluate perceptions, problems or the 

description of some social context. They were informed about the purpose of organizing the 

group discussions and they unanimously agreed. 

 
2  CCREA. County Center for Resources and Educational Assistance. 
Service organized at the county level, purpose: monitoring special educational needs and providing specialists in 

the direction of ensuring access to education and preventing school dropouts 
3 GDSACP: General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection 



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The participants in the group discussions were the social workers, the RCP4 from the public 

services gives social assistance from the local public administrations who responded to our 

invitation. 25 of them work in the urban environment and 5 of them in DSA5 in the urban 

environment. 

 

Figure nr.1. Socio-demographic characteristics of the participants 

 

 

4. Findings 

In this study social workers' perceptions of their work with CLB were evaluated and a number 

of results were obtained. Asked to express their perceptions regarding CLB, the participants 

used the terms trauma, suffering, early maturation, abandonment. It was interesting that they 

answered from the child's perspective, not from their perspective as professionals. The social 

workers did not initially refer to the difficulties or dysfunctions existing in practice with these 

children, but took a different position, once again showing a very high level of empathy. As 

expected, the evaluations of their work were made according to the efficiency criterion, that 

is: in what way do our interventions reach the child's needs? 

 

4.1. Low level of registration of parents who migrate 

The participants raised this topic and unanimously appreciated that this fact represents the 

source of many difficulties in the subsequent monitoring of the cases. Why don't they notify 

the parents, as the law requires? Because they don't know that they have this obligation, because 

 
4 RCP: Responsible Case Prevention. name given to the social worker at the local level with attributions in the 
prevention of abandonment 
5 DSA: Directorate of Social Assistance 

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

First FG Second FG Third FG

Socio-demographic characteristics of the participants

25-35 years 36-45 years 46-60 years Female Male Rural area Urban area



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they don't want to (they feel threatened, they feel in the sights of the services, and they don't 

understand why their intervention would be necessary).  

I wouldn't leave my child. Do you want to take it from me? 

The group discussions showed that there are two categories of parents: 

• The first category, those who do not know the law and are not informed about the steps 

they must go through before departure. One of the most important steps is the delegation 

of parental authority over the main caregiver of the minor. 

• The second category includes parents who know the law, know their obligations and 

still do not declare their departure out of "fear", the fear of losing certain incomes from 

the country. Thus, a significant part chooses to migrate unregulated, without a work 

contract. Because of this, a clear number of migrants cannot be established 

As a result of this fact, the social workers are in a rush to get this information from the school 

the kid goes to. This task could be possible in the rural environment where proximity and social 

distance is small. In the urban environment, this category of children still remains invisible if 

the parents have not declared the decision to leave. On the other hand, the information circuit 

should start from the parent to the PSAS-School. After which a functional partnership would 

be built. However, the respondents note that neither the teachers nor the principals are notified 

of the departure of the parent or parents, moreover some try to hide this truth. Moreover, the 

participants' perception is that the social dimension is not systematically addressed in the 

school, except depending on the teacher's affinity or sensitivity towards certain categories of 

children at risk. 

 

4.2. Poor perception of SPAS in the community 

According to the group discussions, there are two quite clearly outlined reactions regarding the 

SPAS intervention in the child's family when one or both parents have gone to work. Roma 

communities have a greater receptivity to social services in the context of the emigrant parent; 

the fact may be due to their more frequent dialogue with the social services, they being included 

in a vulnerable social category (Rat, 2005).  In the case of the majority population, it is possible 

to operate the stereotypes related to the vulnerable category of the beneficiaries of social 

services. The label "poor" or "needy" distances some families from the prospect of accepting a 

social service, refusing it vehemently. Social workers indicate that they are often perceived as 

"badly intentioned"; frequently they are not received at home, the truth about the situation of 

their parents' departure is hidden from them. Often the parent left alone with the child feels 



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threatened by the social worker and adopts a defensive attitude. Rigorous information is 

necessary in which they appeal to the regulations of the law so that the family accepts the CPR 

intervention. 

 

 

4.3.The effectiveness of the interventions 

This topic has been outlined accurately and is in fact the main concern of the respondents. 

PSAS contact with the child is relatively superficial, and the reasons would be: 

- The perception of parents who feel threatened by CPR is the most important obstacle. He 

often does not signal his departure, on the grounds that it is a private matter that does not 

concern anyone outside the family. 

- Reserve for the family of the child left behind to be in contact with PSAS. It is considered 

that the departure of the parent does not put them in a vulnerable position, that there is no valid 

reason for a state institution to "invade" their family space. 

"Most families perceive our intervention as intrusive. This is a reason why our activity cannot 

take place in optimal conditions”. 

"They feel ashamed to visit. In the countryside, the reply still works: what will the neighbours 

say about this? We do not ask for help from the state”. 

The overcrowding of social workers with cases and because of this the impossibility of 

allocating a consistent time for counselling. 

According to the regulations of the law, the social worker performs a risk assessment on the 

following dimensions: living conditions, health, family relationships, friend group, economic 

situation, and once these risks are identified, multidisciplinary intervention is requested 

(psychologist, school counsellor, doctor). GD 691/2015 provides a lot of resources to support 

the family that will benefit from the Service Plan if the identified risks require it. 

In reality, all kinds of difficulties arise: the lack of a psychologist to turn to, the lack of the 

school counsellor, the unavailability of most families to cooperate. 

 

4.4.The institutional mechanism  

The triggering of the institutional mechanism begins with the declaration that the parent who 

is going to leave the country for gainful purposes has the responsibility to make at the PSAS 

headquarters, according to law 272/2004, art. 104 para. (1). where it specifies that "The parent 

who exercises parental authority alone or with whom the child lives, who is going to go to work 



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abroad, has the obligation to notify this intention to the public social assistance service at 

home, at least 40 days before leaving the country." 

Law 272, art 106 stipulates that local public administration authorities initiate information 

campaigns for parents in order to make parents aware of the risks assumed by going to work 

abroad and to inform parents about their obligations in the situation in which they intend to 

move abroad. However, these campaigns happen ad hoc, informally, "by word of mouth". 

Law No 272/20046 and GD No 691/20157 make logical and coherent provisions, but there is 

no personnel infrastructure necessary for their application. "In the situation where, following 

the evaluation, it is discovered that there are suspicions of affecting the child's emotional state, 

the representative of the public social assistance service requests the support of a psychologist, 

in order to include him in a psychological counselling program. In rural areas, school 

counsellors and psychologists are often missing, in these conditions they can be delegated by 

GDSACP or CCREA. The family, the school and the community constitute three milestones 

in the training and development of the child. A real partnership between the three courts builds 

a wall of protection and security for the child for the simple fact that they represent the three 

environments in which the child moves. All follow to achieve the child's well-being and 

influence each other, having the potential to maximize the child's prospects of success (Epstein, 

Sanders, 2002).  

Figure no.1. The circuit of information regarding the migration of the parents 

 

 

The participants in the study are believe that the family-school partnership is already deficient, 

that many of the families at social risk do not communicate with the school, or precisely these 

families are registered in the records of the social services. In the rural environment, identifying 

 
6 Law No 272/2004: The law on the protection and promotion of children's rights 
7 GD No 691/2015: Procedures for monitoring the growth and care of the child left behind 

2. PSAS

3. School

1.Family



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the families in question is possible and somewhat easy; in the urban environment, however, 

this subject remains uncovered.  

 

4.5.The condition of the children left behind   

Compared to other categories of children in difficulty, CLB, they experience a situation in 

which they experience familiarity in their daily life, and at the same time, they experience the 

painful separation from one or both parents ( Jordan, Graham, 2012). Of course, the condition 

or well-being of these children varies depending on many variables. However, the social 

workers point out some important conditions that shape the well-being of the child left behind: 

care by another parent or a foreign person, age, level of poverty prior to departure and previous 

information/preparation for this event. After leaving, maintaining the relationship with the 

departed parent(s) is fundamental. In rural areas, in families where there were big shortages, 

the father's departure is associated with perspective, with chances. The child is frequently 

motivated to learn, is encouraged to evolve, the event of the parent's departure triggers the 

family's immune system, activates resilience and cohesion. Antman, (2012) suggests that 

indeed, parents' migration does not have precise and proven effects on children. 

But the child aggressively experiences any challenge to talk about what he feels. A very rich 

literature talks about the father's departure without notice. From the accounts of the 

participants, we deduce that they encountered fewer such cases; the age at which the parent 

migrates is a key factor. The younger the child, the greater the impact. Adolescents supervised 

by their grandparents, another topic brought up for discussion, can slip into deviant behaviour 

or vice versa, having the financial support of their parents, they make great efforts to align 

themselves or fulfil the family project, that of succeeding. 

 

Conclusions and recommendations 

 The group discussions on the topic of children left behind revealed some realities of the 

practice in our country, which must be taken into account. First of all, the intervention of the 

social worker is compromised by the boundary that the family sets, which perceives this 

intervention as intrusive. There are cultural considerations that limit the intervention of the 

social worker in the life of CLB. I deduced from the group discussions that the family space is 

perceived as poorly permeable by its members, which is actually a characteristic of the primary 

group. The increased permeability of ethnic families is probably greater due to their more 

frequent contact with social services. This fact denotes the good relationship perceived by the 

https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorRaw=Jordan%2C+Lucy+P


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beneficiaries with public social assistance services. The unavailability of the parents to declare 

their migration involuntarily places the children in an unsafe environment or impossible to 

approach by the social services. Therefore, children remain invisible, outside of any form of 

support. This is the reason why the social workers participating in the group interview 

confirmed that their interventions are not always effective. 

The condition of CLB cannot be generalized, it mainly depends on family process variables 

that can serve as protective or risk factors. The conclusion is also confirmed by the studies of 

(Harker, 2001) and (Suarez-Orozco & Qin, 2006). 

Although the legal framework is coherent and logical, impediments of a cultural nature 

hinder the optimal development of specific interventions. It is recommended to inform the 

community about the role of PSAS in the community and in preventing marginalization, 

strengthening the school-family-community partnership. It is also necessary to sensitize 

teaching staff regarding the effects of the parent's departure on the child, and therefore on his 

vulnerability (Epstein, Sanders, 2002).  It is also necessary to include parents in information 

sessions and raise awareness of the effects that their absence, even temporary, has on the child. 

It is also recommended to create a network of psychologists, school counsellors, 

psychotherapists who can be accessed or can constantly provide services in the rural 

environment.  

 

Acknowledgment 

We would like to thank the social workers from the 25 localities of Arad County for 

participating in the group interviews. We appreciate the considerable effort to travel after 

working hours. Thank you also for the availability to talk so openly about their practice with 

CLB. 

 

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