Based on 115 interviews with Polish mothers in the UK and Poland, as well as a specially-commissioned opinion poll, this topical book discusses recent Polish migration to the UK. In a vivid account of every stage of the migration process, the book explores why so many Poles have migrated since 2004, why more children migrate with their families and how working-class families in the West of England make decisions about whether to stay. With a fully revised introduction for the paperback edition, it covers many broader themes - including livelihoods and migration cultures in Poland, experiences of integration into UK communities and issues surrounding return to Poland. This book is highly relevant to migration policy across Europe and beyond. It will be of interest to policy-makers and the general public as well as students and scholars. Winner of the BASEES George Blazyca Prize 2011.

"Well referenced and rich in thought-provoking analysis, it makes a significant contribution to academic and policy debates about new immigration in Europe" Housing Studies

"This book should be regarded as an important contribution to migration literature, and therefore is highly recommended to those interested in this literature." Europe-Asia Studies, March 2012

"The scale of migration of Poles to the UK after 2004 took many people by surprise and changed the culture and economy of the UK. If you want to find out what really happened by understanding the perspective of Polish families both in the UK and in Poland, read this authoritative and informative book. An excellent piece of research." Claire Wallace, Professor of Sociology, University of Aberdeen

"The post-enlargement migration of Poles into the UK has struck both the experts and societies by its scale and character. This book explores factors which help determine Polish families’ decisions about how long to stay in the UK and whether to return to Poland or not. It should be required reading for all those seeking to understand the causes of international migration in the enlarged Europe." Krystyna Iglicka, Institute for Social Studies, University of Warsaw

Anne White is Professor of Polish Studies and Social and Political Science at University College London School of Slavonic and East European Studies. She has published on numerous aspects of social change in Poland and Russia, with particular focus on migration, regional differentiation, livelihood strategies, identities, gender and civil society. She has also taught English at Poznan University, Poland, and currently teaches English to parents at a Polish Saturday School in Bath. Polish families and migration since EU accession is her fourth monograph.

Introduction; Post-communist Poland: social change and migration; Small-town livelihoods; Local migration cultures: compulsion and sacrifice; Local migration cultures: opportunities and 'pull factors'; Parental migration with and without children; The emotional impact of migration on communities in Poland; Integration into British society; Being Polish in England ; Return to Poland; Conclusions.; Afterword: Polish migration since 2010

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