A survey of the effect of migration on residents of three inner-city communities in Kingston revealed that following the migration of a parent, the number of children registering improved school attendance was more than the number of children attending school less.

However, most migrating persons made little or no provision for their children's education or welfare before leaving the island to reside overseas, the study revealed.

The baseline survey and desk review on the impact of migration on families left behind in the communities of Greenwich Town, Whitfield Town and Rose Town was conducted between October and December of last year. Some 1,200 persons were interviewed for the study.

The survey results were presented by Lisa Taylor-Stone, CEO of SilverStone and Platt Research Solutions Ltd at the Terra Nova Hotel in St Andrew last Friday.

The study showed that following migration of a parent, school attendance improved among 31 per cent of girls and 18 per cent of boys; remained the same among 57 per cent of girls and 69 per cent of boys; and declined among 11 per cent of girls and 12 per cent of boys.

The study said, too, that following migration 56 per cent of the children were left under the supervision of older siblings, while 44 per cent under the supervision of other family members (including close and extended family and family friends).

The survey formed part of a European Commission/United Nations Joint Migration and development initiative project entitled "Mitigating the Negative Impact of Migration on the Multi-Generational Household in Jamaica". The project is being implemented in partnership with Hope for Children Development Company Ltd and HelpAge International.

The project targets 1,500 multi-generational households affected by migration in the three communities and will impact approximately 7,500 persons, roughly one-third of the population in the communities.

The project aims to, among other things, achieve:

* improved policies and programmes affecting migrants and their families in Jamaica;

* greater projection for households;

* better access of households to services, income and livelihood opportunities such as the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education, Jamaica Drug for the Elderly Programme, the National Health Fund and skills training programmes such as HEART/NTA.

Recommendations to reduce the negative effects of migration include:

* educational programmes and counselling in schools for children of migrants;

* pre-departure sessions for persons migrating;

* monitoring of recruitment agencies to prevent scams;

* establishment of a registry of migrant parents to better monitor children left behind;

* a one-stop immigration centre providing services to migrants; and

* the establishment of a lobby group of returned migrants to mentor new migrants.

According to the PIOJ, from 1996 to 2007, more than 225,000 persons legally migrated from Jamaica to the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, the three leading destinations for migration.

According to the 2007 Economic and Social Survey of Jamaica, private remittances is one of the leading sources of foreign currency inflows into the country and positively influences welfare and poverty reduction. Remittances make up 17 per cent of Jamaica's Gross National Income.

Some 54 per cent of Jamaican households received remittances from overseas.