Euro-orphan or EU orphan[1] is a neologism used metaphorically to describe a "social orphan" in the European Union whose parents have migrated to another member state, typically for economic reasons. The child is left behind, often in the care of older relatives. The expression itself is a misnomer since it is meant to describe temporary child abandonment rather than the death of both parents. A similar name is White Orphans.[2]

Such abandoned children may require therapeutic or psychiatric care to cope.[3] The EU supports family reunification.[4] Migrating families are sometimes divided by local child services like Jugendamt.[5] The number of Euro-orphans in the EU is estimated to be between 0.5–1 million, most of whom live outside the EU, e.g. in Ukraine.[6]

A similar term, "old euro-orphans", describes elderly parents left behind by migrants.[7]

Media

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Books

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  • Anne White, Polish Families and Migration Since EU Accession, 2017 [8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Romania, the EU orphans
  2. ^ White Orphans, the enlargement's children
  3. ^ Nowak, M; Gaweda, A; Janas-Kozik, M (2012). "[The Euro-orphans phenomenon and the courses in therapeutic work and psychiatric treatment--a case study]". Psychiatr Pol. 46 (2): 295–304. PMID 23214399.
  4. ^ Family reunification
  5. ^ "A child has to be German and right now!". Archived from the original on 2014-02-19. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  6. ^ "Facts about Euro orphans". Archived from the original on 2017-09-14. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
  7. ^ Old “Euro-orphans”? Migration of Adult Children and Social Security of their Elderly Parents
  8. ^ "Polish families and migration since EU accession". Archived from the original on 2018-01-15. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
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