Transnational families face barriers to care, language and rights

A new report highlights difficulties transnational families face, with young people taking on support roles. It gives policy recommendations for more effective support.

The report, titled 'Care, inequalities and wellbeing among transnational families in Europe,' brings to light the unique and often overlooked challenges faced by families living across national borders.

As transnational families grow in number due to migration, they face restrictive immigration policies, language barriers and limitations on their social rights.

These risk their ability to provide care, both for family members they live with and for those living in other countries.

This report is an important milestone for the Transnational Families in Europe research project, which is co-led by Dr Rosa Mas Giralt at the School of Geography and Ruth Evans at the University of Reading.

Drawing on in-depth interviews and case studies from 122 transnational families in the UK, France, Spain, and Sweden, the report explores the difficulties families face in meeting care needs and the impact of caregiving on the well-being of family members.

It urges policymakers to recognise these challenges and provide more inclusive and supportive frameworks, empowering families to thrive across borders.

Caring in a transnational world

As more people migrate or are displaced due to conflict or socio-political instability, families become separated across borders.

While family members try to continue caring for each other, policy barriers, financial costs and existing social inequalities undermine their ability to access social care, health, education and other services.

Caring for a family member may foster resilience, but it can also have significant negative impacts on education and employment opportunities, finances, family relationships, social participation, health and wellb-eing.

Digital connections and access to services

Digital tools have become crucial for transnational families to access essential healthcare, social services and education.

However, these platforms often require digital literacy that older family members or those with limited language skills may not have.

Younger family members often become ‘digital brokers’, handling online forms and appointments for their parents and grandparents.

This responsibility can be difficult for younger family members and raises ethical concerns around privacy and confidentiality.

The pressures of language brokering

The report emphasises the pressure on young people to act as interpreters, or ‘language brokers’, for their parents or other relatives, especially in healthcare settings.

Children and teenagers might have to interpret medical information or fill out forms, which can be stressful and ethically complex.

This issue is made worse by inconsistent access to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes for adults.

The report finds that limited funding, travel costs, and childcare needs prevent many adult family members from accessing ESOL courses, which could reduce their reliance on their children in navigating language barriers.

Restrictive family reunion visas

The report explores how family reunion immigration restrictions pose a major obstacle to transnational families that need in-person support.

Strict eligibility requirements and prolonged waiting times stop many families from reuniting, even when close family members need care.

These restrictions risk the well-being of families, complicate caregiving responsibilities and place additional stress on all members.

The study suggests that reducing these restrictions could positively impact the health and well-being of transnational families.

Policy recommendations for a transnational world

Based on these findings, the report calls for targeted policy interventions to support transnational families more effectively.

It recommends that the UK government invests in expanded, long-term funding for ESOL classes and reduces the cost and complexity of applying for family reunion visas, including fast-tracking those with care needs.

There is a call to provide more inclusive access to public services and to address the digital divide for those who find it difficult to navigate digital platforms for healthcare and essential services.

Policymakers must recognise and alleviate the responsibilities placed on young people who act as informal interpreters for their families.

Expanding access to qualified translators and interpreters, and improving digital infrastructure would lessen young people’s caring responsibilities and ensure safer, more inclusive services for migrants.

The authors said: “Our study highlights the crucial caregiving roles of adults AND children in migrant families, caring for family members both locally and in other countries.

Yet they often face multiple barriers when accessing services, which require understanding, compassion and policy attention.”

Launch events in Reading, Leeds and Manchester

The research team will formally launch the report at three public events for community members, policymakers, and partner organisations such as Reading Community Learning Centre and Refugee Support Group, St Vincent’s Centre in Leeds, Migrant Support in Manchester, and the Migrant English Support Hub.

The events will encourage the audience to engage with the research and explore practical solutions.

At the launch events, the team will screen short films highlighting key findings and recommendations, co-produced by the research team and transnational family members, practitioners and partner organisations.

The events are on November 5 in Reading, November 15 in Leeds and November 29 2024 in Manchester.