Transnational Relationships Between African Migrant Parents in Europe and Caregivers in Africa

ABSTRACT Research shows the quality of the relationship between migrant parents and local caregivers is important for the care and wellbeing of migrants′ children who stay behind. Yet what exactly constitutes a well‐functioning relationship remains to be defined at a large‐scale, and especially for the case of African parents migrating to Europe. This study examines what factors shape the quality of relationship between local caregivers and migrant parents as experienced by migrant parents using data on 614 Angolan, Nigerian and Ghanaian migrant parents in Ireland, Portugal and the Netherlands. Our findings highlight how caregiving capabilities influenced by remittances, marital status, and socioeconomic positions, influence local caregiver‐migrant parent relationships. Gendered care cultures shape how migrant mothers experience warmer but more demanding relationships with local caregivers compared to migrant fathers, while migrant parents in general experience difficult relationships with non‐partner biological local caregivers. The study also shows the specific ways migration regimes negatively affect transnational care relationships by causing prolonged family separation and difficulties in the capacity to remit.