The transnational mobility to Belgium of French people with disabilities based on the experience of families

This research project, conducted by Jérémy Mandin, explored the case of the migration of French citizens in situation of disability toward institutions based Wallonia (Belgium). Starting from a definition of disability and its related vulnerabilities as the product of the social construction of the environment, the research project focused on three main research objectives:

• Understand the underlying dynamics pushing French citizens to seek healthcare abroad.
• Unpack the regulatory and institutional structure within which these cross border migrations happens.
• Explore how the transnational mobility of citizens in situation of disability is experienced by the families.

The research was based on a qualitative fieldwork conducted between 2020 and 2022. 26 interviews were collected with a variety of actors including parents, professionals working in institutions in Belgium and representatives of association. Due to the COVID epidemic at the time, most of the interviews were done online. Data coming from different public institutions was also used to contextualize the qualitative data.

A first series of findings comes from the interviews with the parents of French citizens receiving care in Belgian institutions and regards the factors that push people to envision cross border mobility as a viable solution for their children. The research found that one predominant factor is the structural lack of solution offered to families in France. In this context, Belgian institutions often appear as a viable solution. Another factor relates to the common perception of Belgian institutions as being of better quality than French institutions. The decision to apply for care institutions in Belgium thus appear as translating both the effects of structural constraints and the expression of care preferences from the family.

A second series of finding lies in the contextualization of this migration within a complex transnational infrastructure of care. Indeed, parents of French citizens in situation of disability are far from the only actors involved in the migration to Belgium. From the regulations putted in place by both French and Belgian authorities, to the orientations provided by the departmental authorities, the information communicated by French professionals and the negotiation with institutions workers in Belgium, the transnational mobility of French citizens toward care centers in Belgium is highly mediated. In this context, these citizens appear to be moved as much as moving across borders.

Finally, the research allowed to explore how welfare states can be a significant actor in the process of “externalization” of care.

These findings where communicated during two paper presentations. One given during the 2004 IMISCOE annual conference and titled “Experiencing intra-European mobility through the externalization of social protection: The parents of French citizens in situation of disability hosted in Belgian institutions” and one given during the MITSOPRO conference organized in October 2022 and titled “Un usage contraint de la liberté de circulation ? La mobilité transnationale de français en situation de handicap à partir de l’expérience des familles ». A contribution to the non academic journal The Conversation was also produced to communicate some of the research results.