Effects of Migration:Children Left at Home

	Regarding the geographic location,data shows that the regions most affected by the migration phenomenon are Western Romania(Banat,Crisana,Maramures),where 27% of the gymnasium students(classes V to VIII)have a least one parent abroad,and Moldova,were the percentage is 25%.Most migrant parents are in Italy:55% of the migrant mothers of the respondent children and 40% of the fathers.
	Te study shows that the parents' migration for work has both positive and negative effects on children left back home.The main positive effects are related to the welfare of the children)better living conditions,mobile phone,computer,etc.).Also,34% of the children with both parents working abroad have traveled outside Romania,in comparison with just 14% of the children from non-migrant families;moreover,20% of children with both parents working abroad have spent thier 2006 summer holidays abroad with their parents.
	Among the negative effects it is interesting to mention that in some cases the fact that one parent left to work abroad has determined a deterioration of the child's relationship with the parent who remained at home to raise him.Other negative effects are to be found on the psychological level. The field data confirms the frequency of depression symptoms in children.
	The difference between the children of migrant as oposed to those of non-migrant parents are relatively small regarding deviant behaviour;still,the parents' departure represents a risk factor.For instance,thepercentage of children who had at least once problems with the police is slightly higher among those with migrant parents that among the rest(15-16% compared to 10%).
	Children whose parents are working abroad have a similar profile to those living in mono-parental families resulting from the parents' separation or from the death of one parent.This shows that,although the work abroad is temporary,the impact on the children could be similar to that of the loss of a parent,through divorce or death.
	In conclusion,children whose parents are working abroad should be considered at risk.That would be a first recommendation to children protection authorities,who should find solutions to strenghten the relations between school and the social services system.It is important that the crisis of school psychologists,especially from rural areas,is solved(at this moment just 38% of the gymnasium schools in Romania have a psychologist on their payroll to offer counseling to children).