Children in Immigrant Families in the Netherlands: A Statistical Portrait and a Review of the Literature
Author(s): A. M. Bosch G. C. N. Beets H. de Valk K. R. Noam
This report provides a concise overview on the situation of children in immigrant families in the Netherlands. There almost 800,000 children (22.3 per cent of all children) are born in immigrant families with over 15 per cent of these children born abroad. The report shows that most children, including children in immigrant families, live in two-parent households. Some immigrant groups are more disadvantaged than others. Families of European or North American origin are the most comparable with native-born Dutch families in terms of household characteristics and socioeconomic status. Many households of non-western immigrant origin are in a deprived social position and are at the bottom of the income distribution. A third of the households of non-western origin may be living in poverty. Furthermore, the majority of all children in immigrant families start primary school with a language and math deficiency.