Researching family migration decision‐making: a children‐in‐families approach

Abstract This paper identifies that much geographical research exploring family migration decision‐making has overlooked the issue of children's agency. Motivations for family migration are considered to be influenced by children's presence within families, but it is often assumed that children have no actual involvement in making family migration decisions. In this paper I argue that changes in socio‐cultural constructions of ‘the family’ and ‘childhood’, alongside changes in familial forms and contexts, suggest that population geographers should consider the possibility that some children may be involved in making family migration decisions. I suggest that in order to develop deeper and more nuanced theorisations of family migration decision‐making, which reflect the involvement and experiences of children, a children‐in‐families approach to researching family migration may be fruitful. This approach is outlined in the paper, drawing on the findings of a mixed‐methods family migration research project with 37 families who moved within the UK. A possible framework for exploring children's levels of involvement in family migration decision‐making is introduced, and two key factors that influence their involvement are considered – children's age and parental consideration of children's ‘best interests’. By adopting a children‐in‐families approach to family migration decision‐making, I argue that current understandings of these processes will be furthered and population geographers will be able to contribute to broader debates on children's involvement in decision‐making within family contexts. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.