They Are Also Parents: A Study on migrant workers with left-behind children in China

More than 80 percent of Chinese migrant workers separated from their children feel inadequate as parents because of the limited role they play in supporting their children’s education and overall emotional development. The report They are also parents, released by The Center for Child Rights and Corporate Social Responsibility (CCR CSR), targets the parents of China’s 61 million left-behind children and is one of the first of its kind to explore the challenges faced by migrant-worker parents and how family wellbeing relates to workforce stability and production efficiency. The report provides insight into employer support for migrant workers, relevant policies, and challenges and motives that drive decision making. It also describes the experience and concerns of young workers who grew up as left-behind children.  

More than 1,500 workers participated in this study, including selected management staff, in nine factories across China’s Pearl River Delta and Chongqing regions.