Introducing the Third Culture Kids Hub

At NWAMI International Malta, we are committed to supporting multicultural integration and fostering an inclusive environment for all communities. As part of this mission, we are excited to introduce the Third Culture Kids Hub, a new unit designed to raise awareness about the unique experiences and challenges faced by Third Culture Kids (TCKs). Unlike children from multinational families or third-country nationals (TCNs), TCKs navigate a complex identity shaped by frequent mobility and exposure to multiple cultures. As global migration continues to rise, the number of TCKs is set to increase significantly, making it essential to understand their specific needs. This unit aims to address these challenges by offering support, resources, and advocacy, ensuring that TCKs, their families, and educators are equipped to navigate the complexities of multicultural life. By onboarding this unit, NWAMI International Malta seeks to contribute to the holistic integration of TCKs, empowering them to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

Who Are Third Culture Kids? Understanding the Differences Between Multinational and Third-Country National Children

The term Third Culture Kids (TCKs) remains largely unfamiliar to the public, often conflated with children from multinational families or third-country nationals (TCNs). While all three groups share cross-cultural experiences, their challenges and identities are distinct, making it essential to differentiate between them. Unlike multinational children, whose cultural identity is shaped by the blending of their parents’ diverse heritages, or TCN children, whose lives are influenced by their parents’ migration to a host country, TCKs form a unique “third culture” through mobility and exposure to multiple cultures during their formative years.

With human mobility increasing globally, the number of TCKs is set to rise significantly. According to recent studies, international migration has reached record levels, with over 281 million people living outside their country of birth as of 2020, representing 3.6% of the global population. As globalisation and cross-border opportunities expand, more children will grow up moving between cultures, experiencing both the richness and challenges of a mobile lifestyle.

This unit aims to raise awareness about the unique needs of TCKs, focusing on their emotional, educational, and social development. By understanding and addressing their specific challenges, we can equip them to embrace their identities and thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

Third Culture Kids (TCKs) have a distinct experience shaped by mobility and exposure to multiple cultures, often without feeling fully at home in any of them.

Children from multinational families are bicultural or multicultural due to their parents’ diverse backgrounds, regardless of where they live.

Children from TCNs grow up in a country different from their parents’ home country but are often shaped by both cultures in varying degrees, depending on the host culture’s influence and acceptance.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the distinctions between Third Culture Kids (TCKs), children from multinational families, and children from third-country nationals (TCNs):

1. Third Culture Kids (TCKs)

Definition:

• TCKs are children who grow up in a culture different from their parents’ home culture(s) due to living abroad for extended periods.
• They form a unique “third culture” blending elements from their parents’ culture(s) and the host culture(s).

Key Traits:

• Highly mobile; may move between several countries during formative years.
• Exposure to multiple cultural norms, but may not fully identify with any one culture.
• Tend to have cross-cultural empathy and adaptability.
• Struggle with a sense of “rootedness” or defining where “home” is.

Examples:

• A child born to Canadian parents who grows up in Japan, Kenya, and Germany due to their parents’ jobs.
• A diplomat’s child who has lived in five different countries before age 18.

2. Children from Multinational Families

Definition:

• These are children born to parents of different nationalities or cultural backgrounds, regardless of where they live.
• Their cultural identity is influenced by the heritages of both parents, often creating a hybrid identity.

Key Traits:

• Their identity is rooted in the blending of their parents’ nationalities and cultures.
• They may live in one country, but their family dynamics expose them to both (or more) cultures deeply.
• Often multilingual and bicultural or multicultural.
• Their cultural challenges are more about balancing their parents’ cultural expectations rather than adapting to a host country’s culture.

Examples:

• A child with a Brazilian mother and a British father, living in France.
• A child born to a Japanese mother and a German father, raised in Japan but with exposure to German cultural traditions at home.

3. Children from Third Country Nationals (TCNs)

Definition:

• These are children born to parents who are living in a country other than their own (the host country) but who are not citizens of that host country.
• Their cultural identity is shaped by the host country’s culture and their parents’ home culture.

Key Traits:

• May face legal or institutional barriers, such as visa challenges or lack of full rights in the host country.
• Degree of cultural integration depends on how much the family interacts with the host culture.
• Tend to have a clearer connection to their parents’ culture but can also adopt traits of the host culture.
• Their experience depends heavily on the host country’s policies and attitudes toward immigrants.

Examples:

• A child born to Indian parents working in Saudi Arabia but who holds an Indian passport.
• A family of Nigerian parents raising their child in Italy, where the child is culturally Italian but not yet a citizen.