Takes a transnational network to raise a child: the case of migrant parents and left-behind Jamaican teens

Migration of parents, in pursuit of 'a better life', has deep roots in Caribbean history and culture. However, the separation from children that results means that care gets provided through a transnational network of caregivers and devices. In this paper we describe how mobile phones in particular have entered a complex care network and while they support some communications they have also contributed to many of the difficulties associated with migration. On the basis of our observations, we conclude with a call for future Ubicomp research into family communication to look to support parenting by considering caregiving networks as wider than just the family. Moreover, this study contributes to our thinking about what 'more' means when introducing additional technologies in family and care networks and their ability to reinforce or shift power structures in the networks in which they are embedded.