Disability Among the Children of Migrants in South Africa

This study describes the relationship between child disability and parental migration status in South Africa. The results indicate that though the children of immigrants were generally less likely to be disabled than those of the native-born population, the immigrant advantage was significant only among the children of immigrants from countries that are not a part of the South African Development Community (SADC). Additionally, the children of South African-born internal migrants were more likely to be disabled than the children of South African-born non-migrants. The study also examines school enrolment among disabled children. Our results show that disabled children of immigrants were more likely to graduate from secondary school at younger ages than were the disabled children of internal migrants and non-migrants. However, the disabled children of recent SADC immigrants were less likely to be enrolled in schools than those of native-born South Africans.