Migrant child phenomenon in China: Subjective happiness factors for assessing service needs

In Tianjin, China, 476 migrant children responded to a survey on educational processes and family influences. These children reported a fair-to-good subjective happiness level. A sequential regression model shows that their subjective happiness will rise alongside nine improvements: (1) public school enrollment, (2) nondiscriminatory admission to education, (3) targeted assistance for higher grade students, (4) integrated local-migrant classes, (5) teacher-student interactions, (6) extracurricular activities, (7) academic performance, (8) parent-child communication, and (9) friends in the city. A comprehensive assessment index can be developed to incorporate school-home factors with a dual focus: migrant worker welfare and migrant child development.