Presentation given by Professor Heather Joshi at the Family and Parenting Institute's Modern Motherhood seminar.
ost women now in their 60s and 70s had children, mostly starting in their twenties. Since them the proportion ever having children has fallen modestly, but there has been more change in postponement (over 30) rather than avoidance of motherhood. The changes in timing are not uniform. They are associated with education and careers. Young mothers remain a disadvantaged group. The impact of motherhood on employment has become more diverse, and so has the package of adult attention devoted to bringing up young children, with more paid childcare and direct involvement of fathers.