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Fathers in the UK Millennium Cohort Study EUCCONET Workshop Vienna 24 February 2010 Lisa Calderwood Sub-brand to go here CLS is an ESRC Resource Centre based at the Institute of Education

Context Increasing recognition of the role of fathers – as more than a ‘breadwinner’ - in children’s lives over last 30 years But it has also become increasingly common for children to: –live apart from their biological father e.g. proportion of children in UK living in lone parent families increased from 9% in 1972 to 24% in 2006 (ONS, 2007) –live with step-father e.g. 10% of all families with dependent children were step-families in 2005 (ONS, 2007)

UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) Longitudinal birth cohort study following over 19,000 children born in the UK in 2000/2001 Four sweeps so far at 9 months, 3 years, 5 years and 7 years Funded by ESRC and UK government departments Over sampled places in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, areas with high child poverty and in England areas with higher minority ethnic populations. One of four British Birth Cohort Studies

Fathers in the MCS Personal interviews with co-residential fathers as well as mothers at every sweep –Broad definition of ‘fathers’ to include step, foster, adoptive and ‘partners of mother’ –Broad definition of ‘co-residential’ to include ‘part- time’ resident fathers –Good response from co-residential fathers – approx 9 in 10 interviewed Data collected about non-resident fathers during the interview with mother – but no data collected directly from non-resident fathers

This presentation includes.... Evidence from MCS on proportion of children living with biological and step-fathers at 9 months and how this changes over first 5 years Evidence from MCS about involvement of non- resident fathers with 9 month and 5 year old children Experience from four international cohort studies about collecting data from non-resident fathers and reflections on this Evidence from two British cohort studies about how the involvement of resident fathers with their 5 year old children has changed over the past 30 years

Fathers at MCS1 (9 months) Vast majority (86%) of children lived with their biological father (as well as their biological mother) Almost none (0.2%) lived with a step-father Evidence of involvement of non-resident biological fathers –Relationship with mother: 50% ‘closely involved’, 14% ‘just friends’, 29% ‘not in any relationship’ and 7% ‘separated/divorced’ –56% jointly registered birth and 44% fathers at the birth –31% in frequent contact (3 or more times a week), 33% in less frequent contact, 36% not in any contact –33% made maintenance payments –Frequency of contact related to parent’s relationship

Fathers at MCS3 (5 years) Vast majority (77%) of children still lived with their biological father (as well as their biological mother) Almost one in five (4%) lived with a step-father Evidence of involvement of non-resident biological fathers –21% in frequent contact (3 or more times a week), 51% in less frequent contact, 28% not in any contact –46% made maintenance payments –Frequency of contact strongly related to parent’s relationship status

Losing a biological father between 9 months and 5 years Both natural parents Both natural parents (88%) Lone natural mother (10%) Natural mother and step-father (2%)

Gaining a father between 9 months and 5 years Lone natural mother Both natural parents (20%) Lone natural mother (68%) Natural mother and step-father (12%)

Why collect data from non-resident fathers in a cohort study? ‘Good’ reasons –Fathers have a ‘right’ to participate –To gauge their impact on child development – fathers who are not ‘involved’ with child cannot be influencing their development (except through genetics and economic contribution) –Possible bias in mother’s reports and limitations on what can be reported by proxy ‘Bad’ reasons –To make statements about the population of non-resident fathers

Experience of collecting data from non-resident fathers in MCS Included in pilot for Age 5 Survey but not included in main stage due to poor response –Target sample: ‘involved’ NR fathers –Postal survey, no incentive –77% mothers gave contact details –18% NR fathers responded –14% overall response rate

Experience of collecting data from non-resident fathers in Growing Up in Ireland 10,500 children aged 9 months in 2008/9 Wave 1 (9 months): postal survey, no incentive, all NR fathers eligible –33% mothers gave contact details and permission –32% NR fathers responded –10% overall response rate

Experience of collecting data from non-resident fathers in Growing Up in Australia 5000 children aged 0-1 in 2003/4 Wave 1 (9 months): not attempted (poor response in pilot) Wave 2 (2-3 years): postal survey, no incentive, NR fathers who see child once a year –70% mothers gave contact details –35% NR fathers responded –24% overall response rate Wave 3 (4-5 years): telephone survey, no incentive, NR fathers who see child once a year –85% mothers gave contact details –78% NR fathers responded –66% overall response rate

Experience of collecting data from non-resident fathers in Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study 5000 children born in large US cities between Families recruited in hospital at time of birth, mother’s asked to identify the father of the child Fathers interviewed either in person at hospital or by telephone (some also at father’s home) 89% co-resident fathers interviewed at baseline compared with 60% of non-resident fathers Both parents given $20 incentive and both parents given an additional $5 if father interview completed at hospital

How would we recruit non-resident fathers in a new cohort study? Recruit non-resident fathers as early as possible and, if possible, independently of mother Place greater emphasis on importance of participation of both parents, regardless of co- residence (recruiting ‘family’ not mother and child) Attempt to recruit and interview NR fathers by ‘best’ affordable method i.e. in person, telephone Track both parents independently of each other Consider incentives for NR fathers

Resident fathers involvement in MCS3 (Age 5) Reading to child: 1 in 7 fathers read to child every day and 8 in 10 once a week or more Playing sports or physically active games: 8 in 10 fathers did this once a week or more Taking child to park or playground: 5 in 10 father did this at least once a week Putting child to bed: 9 in 10 fathers did this at least once a week (compared to 5 in 10 fathers 30 years ago) Looking after child on own: 7 in 10 fathers did this at least once a week (compared to 1 in 3 fathers 30 years ago)

This presentation concludes.... Fathers – both resident and non-resident – are an important part of children’s lives But the complexities of family life in the 21 st century present challenges for birth cohort studies Perhaps one ‘solution’ may be to move away from the ‘traditional’ focus on the ‘household’ as unit of data collection and analysis?

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