‘Yes, I sent my child back home’

Conversations with mothers about sending their children back home

Abstract

While the impact of separation on children of migrant parents who are fostered or sent back home has received significant attention (e.g., research, documentaries, books), including through emerging terms such as farming (Bryceson & Vuorela, 2002), the experiences of the mothers who make this difficult choice are often absent from the narrative. The studies so far have been focused on the child. However, the perspectives of the women making these decisions remain largely underrepresented. I was curious to find the mother’s voice.

This study utilises reflective conversations to explore the motivations and emotional realities of African/Ghanaian mothers in England across three generations (ages 83, 62, and 38) who have sent their children (aged six months to 14 years) back to Africa while remaining in England. The focus is on understanding the ‘why’ behind these decisions, including perceived educational advantages, the availability of familial care, and cultural proximity, alongside the mothers’ honest reflections on these experiences. These reflections are situated within broader discussions of care, culture, and identity in transnational African families (Coe, 2011; Horton, 2009).

The findings contribute to the growing body of work exploring the emotional geographies of transnational parenting and the politics of care in diasporic communities.