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Work return rates after childbirth in the UK - trends, determinants and implications: a comparison of cohorts born in 1958 and 1970

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  • Deborah Smeaton

    (Policy Studies Institute, UK, d.smeaton@psi.org.uk)

Abstract

During the 1980s a significant growth in the proportion of women returning to work quickly post-childbirth became apparent. It was observed, however, that a polarization of opportunities was emerging, with professional women becoming the main beneficiaries of change - a trend that was predicted to accelerate during the 1990s. Comparing two cohorts of women born in 1958 and 1970, this article indicates that the trend toward faster returns continued but that the experiences of professional and non-professional women converged.The predictors of return rates also changed over this period: while occupational class was an important determinant of return timing in the 1980s, by the mid-1990s this was no longer the case. Instead the financial burden of mortgage debt was pushing women into early work returns. Associated with these changes, a reduction in the incidence of downward occupational mobility, was observed, with the greatest improvements experienced by clerical and secretarial workers.

Suggested Citation

  • Deborah Smeaton, 2006. "Work return rates after childbirth in the UK - trends, determinants and implications: a comparison of cohorts born in 1958 and 1970," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 20(1), pages 5-25, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:20:y:2006:i:1:p:5-25
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017006061271
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gallie, Duncan & White, Michael & Cheng, Yuan & Tomlinson, Mark, 1998. "Restructuring the Employment Relationship," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198294412, Decembrie.
    2. Dex, Shirley & Joshi, Heather & Macran, Susan, 1996. "A Widening Gulf among Britain's Mothers," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 12(1), pages 65-75, Spring.
    3. repec:bla:obuest:v:60:y:1998:i:1:p:79-98:a is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Shirley Dex & Heather Joshi & Susan Macran & Andrew McCulloch, 1998. "Women's Employment Transitions Around Childbearing," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 60(1), pages 79-98, February.
    5. Michael Rose, 2005. "Job Satisfaction in Britain: Coping with Complexity," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 43(3), pages 455-467, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bruce Bradbury & Anna Zhu, 2018. "Welfare Entry and Exit after Marital Separation among Australian Mothers," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 94(307), pages 405-423, December.
    2. Pia Schober & Jacqueline Scott, 2012. "Maternal employment and gender role attitudes: dissonance among British men and women in the transition to parenthood," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 26(3), pages 514-530, June.

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