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Community-Based Intervention to Improve the Well-Being of Children Left Behind by Migrant Parents in Rural China

Author

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  • Minmin Jiang

    (Department of Social Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China)

  • Lu Li

    (Department of Social Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China)

  • Wei Xing Zhu

    (Department of Social Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China)

  • Therese Hesketh

    (Centre for Global Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
    UCL Institute for Global Health, 30 Guilford Str., London WC1N1EH, UK)

Abstract

In rural China around 60 million left-behind children (LBC) experience prolonged separation from migrant worker parents. They are vulnerable to a range of psychosocial problems. The aim of this study was to determine whether a community-based intervention consisting of Children’s Centres can improve psychosocial well-being and school performance of these children. The intervention was carried out in 20 villages, for children aged 7 to 15 years, irrespective of left-behind status. Nine hundred and twenty children, 438 LBC and 256 children living with parents (RC) attended the Centres. At follow-up after one year, there were improvements compared to baseline in total difficulties (measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) in children left behind by both parents ( p = 0.009), children left behind by one parent ( p = 0.008) and RC ( p = 0.05). Postintervention school performance significantly improved in both categories of LBC ( p < 0.001), but not RC ( p = 0.07); social support score increased in both categories of LBC ( p < 0.001) and RC ( p = 0.01). Findings from interviews with key stakeholders were overwhelmingly positive about the impacts. With strong local leadership and community motivation, a low-cost intervention can improve children’s psychosocial well-being in these settings. Allowing communities to adapt the model to their own situation fosters local ownership, commitment, with benefits for children, parents, carers, and communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Minmin Jiang & Lu Li & Wei Xing Zhu & Therese Hesketh, 2020. "Community-Based Intervention to Improve the Well-Being of Children Left Behind by Migrant Parents in Rural China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-11, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:19:p:7218-:d:423030
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lian Tong & Qiong Yan & Ichiro Kawachi, 2019. "The factors associated with being left-behind children in China: Multilevel analysis with nationally representative data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(11), pages 1-18, November.
    2. Zhao, Chenyue & Zhou, Xudong & Wang, Feng & Jiang, Minmin & Hesketh, Therese, 2017. "Care for left-behind children in rural China: A realist evaluation of a community-based intervention," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 239-245.
    3. Brown, Philip H. & Park, Albert, 2002. "Education and poverty in rural China," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(6), pages 523-541, December.
    4. James J. Heckman & Dimitriy V. Masterov, 2007. "The Productivity Argument for Investing in Young Children," Review of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 29(3), pages 446-493.
    5. McLeroy, K.R. & Norton, B.L. & Kegler, M.C. & Burdine, J.N. & Sumaya, C.V., 2003. "Community-based interventions," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(4), pages 529-533.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhuang, Jia & Wu, Qiaobing, 2024. "Interventions for left-behind children in Mainland China: A scoping review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    2. Huan Wang & Cody Abbey & Xinshu She & Scott Rozelle & Xiaochen Ma, 2021. "Association of Child Mental Health with Child and Family Characteristics in Rural China: A Cross-Sectional Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-16, May.
    3. Nelsensius Klau Fauk & Alfonsa Liquory Seran & Paul Aylward & Lillian Mwanri & Paul Russell Ward, 2024. "Parental Migration and the Social and Mental Well-Being Challenges among Indonesian Left-Behind Children: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(6), pages 1-15, June.

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