Going home: how do children feel about - and what are the experiences of children - going home? 19 th September, 2012

Programme Welcome and introduction. Presentation from Siobhan Miles, Research Coordinator of the Butterfly Longitudinal Research Project for Chab Dai, Cambodia. Q&A session Presentation from Claire Cody, Oak Fellow at the Centre for Rural Childhood/ Dr Ranjita Biswas, Research Coordinator Jadavpur University. Q&A session. Close

‘Going home: how do children feel about - and what are the experiences of children - going home?’ Findings from the Longitudinal Butterfly research in Cambodia. Monti Datta, Heang Sophal, Lim Vanntheary, Glenn & Siobhan Miles, Orng Long Heng, So Dane

Background and Introduction Chab Dai - Cambodia is a faith based coalition of 50 plus organisations working on issues to do with trafficking and migration. The Butterfly Longitudinal Research is following 128 participants over a ten year period to find out about their experiences in care and their experiences of reintegration. The research commenced in Partnering with 13 organisations (gatekeepers) in order to gain initial access to potential participants

Longitudinal Approach Methodology. Mixed methods- quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews and activities. Three visits per year.

Participant Profile: Gender-2011

Participant Profile: Age-2011

Participant Profile: Ethnicity-2011

Participant Context: Context -2011

Key findings from to do with anticipation, perceptions and experiences of returning home

Anticipations and Perceptions from

Desire for education and skills training 2011 “We must study to one day have a good job. When we are illiterate we don’t fit into society because we cannot find a good job or make good friends. Poor people always believe the people who cheat them and take advantage of them like the trafficker and the gangster.” (In-depth interview, female in residential programme) “I want to learn to read Khmer so no one will cheat me anymore.” (Focus group discussion, female in residential programme) Desire to attend university – males (67%) and females (43%) Desire to do skills training – females (30%) and males (6%)

Preparing to Leave the Shelter

Anticipated Worries About the Future (Girls FGD-7/10) Stigma/ Prejudice/ Shame sexual exploitation associated with dishonour and shame of being poor. Family debt/ Cycle of poverty Peer pressure/ wrong crowd- influence and being deceived. Having to forgo educational/skills training opportunities because families cannot afford it. Can’t afford health care when they get sick. Will be lonely and no one will understand or be able to comfort them.

Hope For Their Futures Sisters and mothers will be “understanding”. Acceptance/Honoured (earned through education/ good employment/ good family) Respectable and adequately paid work. Good friends and family Complete education/skills training leading to gain good employment.

Males Specifically Spoke about the impact of Potential Negative Peer influence

Preparing to Leave the Shelter

Strengths/ Protective Influences (Boys FGD – 2/11) “Good” relationships – family, friends – “a lovely family where there is love and where there is unity, joy, peace – family which love and forgive each other.” Education/ Skills “An education is good because it leads to getting good job so I can support myself and my family.” Personal own “good” character:  “ We need to take responsibility for our wrong doings.”  “I need to respect my elders and obey parents.”  “ A boy needs to be kind and do acts of charity to others.

Challenges/ Potential Harm (Boys FGD- 2/11) Bad relationships, family and friends:  “It’s bad if my family gossip to others about my past.”  “He will meet bad friend and persuade him to sniff glue and he will become an addicted drug person.”  “He will skip school with his bad friends and people will fight him.” Lack of education/ skills:  Result in being unable to find good jobs and therefore unable to support their families.

Perceptions and Experiences 2011

Reintegrated – in past year – 2011 Disappointment education compromised. Worry and stress education will be compromised due to lack of funds and other responsibilities or priorities. Stigma/gossip by community – for having been away. Trust and maintaining secrets. Marriage/relationship issues. Migration issues – needing to find work

Question and Answer Session

Working papers Read more about ‘going home’ in our working paper: ‘What do we think we know about…returning home: one option for children affected by sexual exploitation and/or related trafficking?’