Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The sense of belonging to the current neighbourhood may play a role in the transition to parenthood by indicating a feeling of being 'at home' and having access to social resources. However, previous research has indicated that individuals often move house in anticipation of parenthood, likely altering their connection to the neighbourhood in the process. With data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (2009-23) and using logit regression, we examine the likelihood of a first birth. The results reveal that individuals with a higher sense of belonging to their neighbourhood are more likely to have a first child: especially recent movers compared with long-term residents. Furthermore, while long-distance movers generally show a lower probability of becoming parents, those with a high sense of belonging are as likely as short-distance movers to become parents. These findings suggest that socio-spatial factors play a role in the transition to parenthood.
Source: Population Studies
Authors: Brian Buh, Eva Beaujouan, Ann Berrington
Language: English
Subfield: Demography
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Awards: G7471000213, G8178536259
OpenAlex ID: W4409119166