An article examined changes over the previous twenty years in the living arrangements of young men and women aged 16-34, and how the proportions living with their parents differed by geographical region, education, and economic activity.
Source: Ann Berrington, Juliet Stone and Jane Falkingham, 'The changing living arrangements of young adults in the UK', Population Trends 138, Winter 2009, Office for National Statistics
Links: Article | Southampton University press release | Guardian report
Date: 2009-Dec
The inspectorate for children's services examined the views of children in care about keeping in touch – and losing contact – with their families and friends while in care. Once children had been in care for over two years, they had much less contact with their birth family; and for those who had been in care for over six years all contact was most likely to be lost.
Source: Keeping in Touch, HMI 080275, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills
Links: Report | OFSTED press release | Community Care report
Date: 2009-Dec
An article examined the relationship between young people's time use and maternal employment. Young people with employed mothers spend more time alone with a father, and more time with neither parent. Those with mothers employed full time spent significantly more time watching television than those whose mothers were not employed, especially when they were not near any parents. Time in achievement-related activities when in the presence of a father did not increase to compensate for the loss in time spent in achievement-related activities when alone with a mother.
Source: Killian Mullan, 'Young people's time use and maternal employment in the UK', British Journal of Sociology, Volume 60 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2009-Dec
A report examined family trends in recent historical context. Separate chapters dealt with: major demographic trends; mothers, childcare, and work-life balance; fathers' involvement in family life; parent-child relationships; and economic recession and family relationships.
Source: Stephen Hunt (ed.), Family Trends: British families since the 1950s, Family and Parenting Institute (020 7424 3460)
Links: Summary | Conservative Party press release | Guardian report | BBC report | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2009-Nov
A new book examined the nature of family involvement as people aged. The book explored diversity and change in the family relationships older people maintained, looking at how family relationships were constructed and organized in later life.
Source: Pat Chambers, Graham Allan, Chris Phillipson and Mo Ray (eds.), Family Practices in Later Life, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2009-Sep
A report examined children's experiences in Wales from the perspective of three generations. Parents and grandparents believed they have a better relationship with their children than they had with their own parents when they were growing up. Welsh adults also agreed that children had less freedom to play without supervision, and said that – for that reason – they would not want to swap their own childhood for childhood now.
Source: John Osmond and Nick Morris (eds.), What Are We Doing To Our Kids?, Institute of Welsh Affairs (029 2057 5511) Links: Report | BBC press release | BBC report
Date: 2009-Mar