Global - For employees who are worried about the impact of raising their children in a new country, a recent survey has found expatriate children to be more fluent in foreign languages and spend more time engaged in academia than in their country of origin.

In a recent Expat Explorer survey conducted by HSBC Bank, it found the 2,155 respondents say Spain, France and Germany are the best locations in which expats can raise their children. On the other hand, UAE and UK were rated most poorly as  destinations to rear a child, especially with regards to their health.

The cost of raising a child was also found to be lowest in Spain, followed by India and China. Ninety percent of expats also say their children showed an improvement in their level of academic engagement in their new host country, with Singapore coming in third trailing India and France. Expat children in European countries are also more open to picking up a foreign language, with 63% of expat children speaking two or more languages.

Aaron le Cornu, deputy chief executive officer for HSBC Bank International says that while expat families have to overcome many challenges such as keeping in touch with relatives and maintaining a sense of normalcy, "but I think the advantages that come from experiencing diverse cultures first hand are invaluable."