Midis de la recherche

Alice Rees (DEMO, UCLouvain)
Marika Jalovaara (University of Turku)

Staying home, staying childless? Investigating the influence of the ways young adults leave
the parental home on childlessness in Belgium and Finland

In recent decades, research has consistently demonstrated a strong increase in childlessness across Europe. Ultimate childlessness is a complex phenomenon influenced by several factors, including socioeconomic status, health, cultural norms, and family and partnership dynamics. Among these, the timing and manner of leaving the parental home stand out as critical life transitions closely linked to the likelihood of becoming a parent. Leaving the parental home and entering parenthood are considered significant milestones in the transition from childhood to adulthood. The act of leaving the parental nest is often seen as a marker of independence. However, this path to independence varies significantly across individuals and countries, influenced by factors such as gender, education, and family background. This study leverages high-quality register and census data from Belgium and Finland. We follow men and women born in 1975 and follow their residential trajectories from 1991 to 2020. Preliminary results for Belgium revealed five different ways of exiting the parental household: early birds, average leavers, late departure, boomerang kids and those never left. Using Event History Analysis, we assess how these residential patterns, along with socioeconomic and the family of origin’s characteristics, influence the likelihood of remaining childless. Our findings indicate that individuals, particularly men, who never left the parental home are the least likely to become parents, followed by those who left at older ages. Additionally, parental characteristics such as education, health, and immigration status significantly impact the likelihood of their children becoming parents. By comparing residential trajectories in Belgium and Finland, this research not only enhances our understanding of demographic shifts in different European contexts but also challenges stereotypes about adults who never leave the parental home. These insights provide valuable information for policymakers, helping to develop targeted interventions that support family formation and address broader social and economic implications. 

Language: English

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