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Motherhood and Child Outcomes:

Motherhood and Child Outcomes:. The consequences of the timing of motherhood and mothers’ employment on child outcomes. Denise D. Hawkes 19 th March 2008. This research attempted to explore.

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Motherhood and Child Outcomes:

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  1. Motherhood and Child Outcomes: The consequences of the timing of motherhood and mothers’ employment on child outcomes Denise D. Hawkes 19th March 2008

  2. This research attempted to explore • “the relationship between the timing of motherhood, the employment and child care decisions of mothers and child outcomes.”

  3. Data and Methods used • Three National Cohort Studies held at Centre for Longitudinal Studies (NCDS, BCS70 and MCS) • International Comparisons with US and Australia achieved so far • Intergenerational comparison possible as two generations at least present in all three cohorts as well as cross cohort comparisons possible • Data on fertility and employment histories • Methods used include regression analysis, event history analysis and multi-level modelling

  4. Two Key Determinants Child Outcomes (1) • Timing of Motherhood • Under this theme we have considered • who is most likely to enter motherhood earlier (MCS) • how education affects the timing of the motherhood decision (NCDS/BCS70) • postponement and childlessness (NCDS and BCS70) • the link between age at first motherhood and family socio-economic environment (MCS) • to be investigated: the link between age at first motherhood and child outcomes at age 3 and 5 (MCS)

  5. Timing of Motherhood Questions • Does early motherhood have an impact on parenting style and children’s experiences of family life, and how does this vary by birth order or cohort? • YES: on experiences of family life differs by cohort • NO: not different by birth order. Still to consider parenting styles • Are the outcomes for children of early mothers different from the outcomes for children with later mothers before and after other factors/sets of factors (such as parental education, family income and family structure) are controlled? • YES: although much is explained by prior disadvantage

  6. Findings from project so far – Timing of Motherhood • The timing of motherhood is associated with personal characteristics (past and present), area characteristics and labour market • Some differences across the cohorts but maternal education for the UK appears to be the key driver! • Timing of motherhood is also linked to child outcomes but maternal education is often more important.

  7. Two Key Determinants Child Outcomes (2) • Employment and Child Care Decisions of Mothers • Under this theme we have considered • who is most likely to re-enter motherhood and when • two international comparisons MCS/ECLS-B and the MCS/ALSC • the link between labour market participation in the first none months and child outcomes (MCS and ECLS-B) • the link between labour market participation during the pre-school years and child outcomes (NCDS) • for those in employment the link between child care choice and child outcomes (MCS)

  8. Maternal Employment and Child Care Questions • To consider how far the difference in child outcomes can be explained as the impact of maternal employment. • For the UK in the 21st Century the main determinant of both early maternal employment and child outcomes is maternal education. Not so for the US. • Maternal Education appears to be a strong driver in all three UK cohort studies for child outcomes • To explore jointly the determinants of the timing of motherhood and maternal employment • Not done yet.

  9. Findings from project so far – Maternal Employment • Maternal Employment is associated with mostly maternal characteristics – same characteristics in UK and US but different directions (key in UK is education) • Child outcomes are associated with maternal characteristics (again maternal education), not employment status • Associated with child care type • Hoping to show a link to parenting styles

  10. Capacity Building • Future proposal in planning • International comparisons – co-authors established • Experience of running a large project • “the project brings in new blood to look at a new generation of data, under the guidance of an old hand”

  11. www.cls.ioe.ac.uk Register online for email alerts about CLS news, events and publications.

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