Migration and modern values have reshaped the British family beyond recognition. From mixed-race marriages to long-distance parenting, Britain’s families today reflect love without boundaries.
Globalisation and migration have forever changed the face of the “stereotypical” UK family unit. We have moved from the “traditional nuclear” married mother and father and their biological children to a wonderful blend of different family units that represent a more open and multicultural environment.
This nuclear family is less prevalent, with alternative family forms more common and indeed, more representative of society. Today, families can be made up of single-parents, same-sex parents, stepparents, adoptive parents, grandparents or extended family taking the role of parents, mixed-raced and mixed faith to name but a few but all representing a loving and care-giving unit.
Whatever the make-up of a family is, the importance of having a family unit as a foundational element in a child’s life, providing emotional support, a sense of belonging and a framework for personal and social development remains crucial. The values, beliefs and actions within a family unit help to form the character and personality of a child. And this is where migrant workers and their families can face challenges.
While many economic migrants come as a family unit or settle and marry in the UK creating their own family, some migrants out of choice or forced for other reasons, come to the UK leaving their family behind in their home country. In these instances, often one parent is left to care for dependent children, leaving the migrant parent responsible for providing for themselves in the UK awhile still sending money home to care for their family. According to a scientific website, BOLD, this is increasingly typical for families in Eastern Europe, Asia and South America.
A writer in the TogetherintheUK anthology on migrant writings, Hear Our Stories, wrote about the impact of COVID restrictions had on her and many other migrant workers separated from their families.
You had to stay locked up in the hours every day as if you were a prisoner, at the same time worrying about the problems of your own families back home who depend on you as the main breadwinner. Invisible Heroes by Ruth.
Another author in Hear Our Stories, Althia, shared the guilt and loneliness she felt when she left her family in her home country of Jamica.
Oh my God, my children need schooling…I know, I know! They must be fed. I do not know how long the journey will take. My children are left with older siblings and my family with the tasks. All for love’s sake. Fighting with my Conscience by Althia Anson-Barnett
In post-Covid period, the British government admitted more migrant care workers than ever to fill large gaps in the vital workforce. And in a report by Workforce Intelligence, October 2024, there was still a shortage of 131,000 care workers in the UK. Yet in an immigration white paper published 12th May, social care providers will no longer be able to recruit staff from abroad via health and care visas when the policy comes into force. Already facing the challenges of bringing family members to the UK since changes in legislation in 2024, today’s changes, with full details to be revealed in the coming days, the ability for overseas care workers on legal contracts to bring their families to the UK will be limited, if even possible. These changes have far-reaching consequences not least on the people in the UK reliant on the support of care workers but will directly impact overseas care workers making life for their families even more difficult.
It is well recognised by psychologists and family experts that it is distressing for people to be separated from their families – resulting in financial, mental and at times physical hardship. Likewise for the family members left behind, particularly the children, it can cause emotional and psychological distress. While parents are doing their best to financially support their children, their absence and leaving their children in the care of close relatives can lead to physical and mental health problems and fragmented relationships.
For those migrants who arrived to answer Britain’s call to support its economy post-World War II, different challenges awaited them. In addition to the much needed skills that they brought – the success of the NHS being just one example – the arrival of international men and women brought insight into different cultures, different cuisines and the opportunity to create blended families. There is no question that in the fifties and sixties and perhaps still today, there was a negative reaction to people of different races or religions forming relationships. Some of the initial fear and subsequent racism may have come from a sense of the unknown or parental concern about not knowing or even meeting with the partner’s family as they were in their home country but love as it often does, prevails and so many mixed-race couples went on to have happy and long lives together. Such is story of Andrew and Doreen Augustus – a Windrush migrant and a white young girl, who faced bigotry and racism but who remained married and in love up to Doreen’s death in 2018 – sixty years of marriage. Their story is just of many relationships that faced controversy in the beginning but who proved that colour does not define love. However, it was not just the adults that faced racism and discrimination, the children of mixed-race marriages often must deal with discrimination from both cultures – struggling to be accepted in one or both. An article on the NHS Leeds and Yorkshire Partnership as part of their WREN (Workforce Race Equality Network) Stories features the challenges faced by Maxine Brook growing up as a mixed-race/biracial child, gives a powerful insight into the discrimination she faced from people of both communities. Giving her own perspective, Esua Goldsmith, a feminist activist and author spoke to Teresa Norman from TogetherintheUK about her mixed race identity and you can hear her story on the New Roots 3 and TGIUK podcast. In the main, individuals raised in a diverse Britain have come to see mixed race identities and relationships as completely normal, reflecting the richness of our society. An interesting report ‘The melting pot generation. How Britain became more relaxed on race’ published by British Future in December 2012, highlights how our attitude and values have changed for the positive and how our younger generations not only embrace diversity but do not distinguish a person based on colour, nationality, or race.
Underlying all these challenges facing remote parenting and mixed-raced unions, is the power of love and the power of the family unit. People will face discrimination, loneliness, separation and moments of distress to protect and safeguard their family. Which is why on the 15th May, the UN celebrates the International Day of Families and TogetherintheUK celebrate all families whatever form they take.
To read more about the lives and impacts of migrants on UK society, go to TogetherintheUK.
To purchase a copy of Hear Our Stories, An Anthology of Migrant Writings, compiled by TogetherintheUK, go to TGIUK
To read more about mixed-raced relationships and the lives of biracial children, here are some links.
I was born here in England – by Richard Roach | TogetherintheUK
Viewpoint: What it’s like to be mixed-race in Britain – BBC News,
Mixed-race couple: ‘The priest refused to marry us – BBC News
