Families, disability, caring and employment among families with children

The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between health, disability, caring and employment in families with children, within the context of the agenda to reduce child poverty, reduce worklessness within households, and promote the employment and wider participation of disabled people.

The research was split into two distinct phases. The first phase was commissioned in May 2004, and involved cross-sectional or 'snapshot' analysis of family health, disability and caring, and their effects on economic activity.

The second phase of the research, which commenced in October 2006, looks at how the circumstances of individuals and families have evolved over time (longitudinal or panel analysis). It examines in more detail the interaction between health, caring responsibilities and employment that we identified during the first phase of our research.

A key aim of both phases of this research was to explore the circumstances within households. They both consider variations in economic activity amongst those with poor health, disability or caring responsibilities, by characteristics such as family type (e.g. lone parent and couples, different family size); work status; income; qualifications; housing tenure and ethnic group.

The main data sources for the analyses were FACS, the Census 2001 micro-data, and BHPS. The research was undertaken by Professor Stephen McKay of the University of Birmingham, and Adele Atkinson and Andrea Finney of PFRC.

Disability and caring among families with children: family employment and poverty characteristics
[ Full report (PDF, 953kB) | Research summary (PDF, 114kB) ]

Health, disability, caring and employment: longitudinal analysis
[ Full report (PDF, 3,004kB) | Research summary (PDF, 131kB) ]