Remain, leave, or return? Mothers’ location continuity after separation in Belgium

BACKGROUND Partnership dissolution can mark an extended period of residential instability for mothers and their children. Location continuity, i.e., the ability to stay in or return to thesame neighbourhood after separation, is essential to reduce the negative consequencesof separation.OBJECTIVEWe focus on mothers’ post-separation location continuity in the three years followingseparation and study the role of socioeconomic resources and local ties (to a home,neighbourhood, and region) in remaining in or returning to their pre-separationneighbourhood.METHODSUsing linked Belgian Census (2001) and register data (2001–2006), we estimatemultinomial logistic regression models (N = 25,802). Based on the occurrence,frequency, and destination of moves, we distinguish between high, moderate, and lowdegrees of location continuity. We also study the probability of remaining in, leaving,or returning to the pre-separation neighbourhood.RESULTSMothers who live at their place of birth (a measure of local ties) tend to stay in or returnto their pre-separation neighbourhood or region; if they have more socioeconomicresources they are more likely to remain in the family home. Mothers fromdisadvantaged backgrounds move further and more often.CONCLUSIONIf separated mothers lack socioeconomic resources and local ties, they are less likely to maintain location continuity. Policy programmes should target these women in order toprovide better opportunities for separated mothers and their children.CONTRIBUTIONWe introduce the concept of post-separation location continuity and account forseparation-induced as well as post-separation residential changes in the first three yearsafter separation.