Barriers to Health and Social Services for Unaccounted-For Female Migrant Workers and Their Undocumented Children with Precarious Status in Taiwan: An Exploratory Study of Stakeholder Perspectives

Abstract

Unaccounted-for migrant workers (UMWs), who have left their employment placement and whose whereabouts are unknown, make up a vulnerable population in Taiwan. The children of UMWs have a particularly precarious status because they are undocumented/stateless, immigrant, and young. Living with this precarious status limits their children’s rights to survival and development. Moreover, services for female UMWs and their undocumented children are underdeveloped. This study explores the accessibility and availability of social services for UMWs and undocumented children, based on interviews with 12 stakeholders from multiple systems, including a local government, a child welfare placement center, a migrant worker detention center, a hospital, a regional religious center, and a foreign country office. Preliminary findings indicate the following: First, UMWs’ rights to healthcare are not preserved, and they experience greater prenatal risks because their illegal status excludes them from universal health coverage. Second, undocumented children’s rights to survival and development are concerning because these children can be placed in residential care without individualized care or environmental stimulation. Third, children’s rights to cultural identity and permanency are uncertain in that repatriation or adoption does not guarantee their future best interests.