Social services often approach migration through a single location: the child is either in the country of origin or in the country of destination. Transnational family life is more complex. A child may migrate with one parent while another remains elsewhere, stay with extended family while parents work abroad, reunify after a long separation, or maintain everyday relationships across borders through digital communication.
A 2026 scoping review of psychosocial care and services for children in transnational families examined 137 publications from 2014 to 2024. It included both children who migrate and children who remain in countries of origin while one or both parents migrate. The evidence was organised into four areas: emotional and relational support; educational and developmental support; psychological and mental-health interventions; and legal, welfare and protective services.
Informal care is central—but cannot carry the full responsibility
The review found that emotional and relational support was the most frequently documented form of care. Extended family members, schools, community networks and transnational communication often help children maintain connection and stability. These resources should be recognised during assessment rather than treated as peripheral to the “real” service system.
At the same time, heavy reliance on informal care can conceal gaps in formal provision. Families may be managing complex emotional, educational, legal or protective issues without consistent access to culturally responsive professional support. Informal networks are a strength, but they should not be used as a reason for services to withdraw.
Assess the family system across borders
A useful assessment asks who provides everyday care, who makes important decisions, how family members communicate, what changed before and after migration, and which relationships are supportive or strained. It should also consider legal status, housing, work conditions, school transitions, language and access to benefits.
This does not mean assuming that separation causes harm in the same way for every child. Outcomes are shaped by the quality of relationships before migration, the reason and duration of separation, continuity of care, opportunities for communication and the wider social and legal environment.
Make schools and community organisations part of the support system
Schools often notice changes in wellbeing, attendance, concentration and peer relationships before specialist services become involved. Teachers and school welfare professionals need clear referral routes and intercultural competence, while avoiding the tendency to interpret every difficulty as a cultural problem.
Migrant-led and community organisations can provide language access, trust, practical navigation and knowledge of family circumstances. Cooperation with formal services can improve accessibility, but these organisations should not be expected to replace statutory responsibility.
Protect continuity during transitions
Children may move between countries, caregivers, schools and service systems. Important information can be lost at each transition. Services should plan continuity where possible: provide understandable records, explain rights and referral options, and coordinate support across education, health and social welfare.
Include children in decisions
Children are not only affected by adult migration decisions; they interpret, negotiate and respond to them. Age-appropriate participation can reveal concerns that adults overlook and help services identify which relationships and routines the child wants to preserve.
The research points to a service gap rather than a lack of family resilience. Children in transnational families often receive substantial relational support, but formal psychological, educational and protective services remain uneven and fragmented. Better practice begins by seeing the child’s life as connected across people, services and borders.
Research references
Bozic, A., Pinheiro Mota, C., Sulaj, A., et al. (2026). Mapping psychosocial care and services for children in transnational families: A scoping review. Children and Youth Services Review, 187. DOI/source ↗
Associate Professor at the University of Stavanger. His work focuses on social innovation, collaboration, civil society, migration and psychosocial services. Available for selected research, evaluation and advisory engagements.
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