Abstract
The entry of young people into parenthood has long been regarded as an issue for UK social policy and professional practice. The UK has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Europe, concentrated in the most socially disadvantaged areas of the country (DCSF/DoH 2010). Most of these pregnancies are unplanned and about half end in abortion, although whether this should be a cause for concern is a contested issue (Duncan et al. 2010). Most existing research and policy tends to focus on young mothers; we currently know little about the practices, values or support needs of young fathers, or what barriers and enablers exist to improve their life chances (Alexander et al. 2010). Research that takes a dynamic approach, exploring the varied pathways through which young men enter and attempt to sustain parenthood, is especially sparse. A small-scale baseline study, conducted under the Timescapes programme, is addressing these gaps in knowledge, utilizing qualitative longitudinal (QL) methods of enquiry. We have been prospectively tracking a sample of young men to explore how their journeys through varied public landscapes (education, health, housing, employment and financial security) intersect with their interpersonal journeys — the changing landscapes of family life, partnering and parenting.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Alexander, C., Duncan, S. and Edwards, R. (2010) ‘“Just a Mum or Dad”: Experiencing teenage parenting and work life balance’, in S. Duncan, R. Edwards and C. Alexander (eds) Teenage Parenthood; What’s the Problem? London: Tufnell Press, pp. 135–156.
Allen, G. (2011) Early Intervention: The Next Steps. An Independent Report to HM Government, London: Cabinet Office.
Arthur, S., Snape, D. and Dench, G. (2003) The Moral Economy of Grandparenting, London: National Centre for Social Research.
Broad, B. (2007) Being a Grandparent: Research Evidence: Key Themes and Policy Recommendations, Essex: Grandparents Association.
Carter, B. and McGoldrick, M. (2005) The Expanded Family Life Cycle: Individual, Family and Social Perspectives (3rd Ed.), Boston, MA: Pearson.
Culp, A. M., Culp, R. E., Noland, D. and Anderson, J. W. (2006) ‘Stress, marital satisfaction, and child care provision by mothers of adolescent mothers: Con-siderations to make when providing services’, Children and Youth Services Review, 28: 673–681.
DCSF/DoH (2010) Teenage Pregnancy Strategy: Beyond 2010, Nottingham: DCSF.
DfES (2003) The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education Project, London: Department for Education and Skills.
DfES (2006) Childcare Act 2006: Chapter 21, Norwich: The Stationery Office. [Online] Available at: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2006/pdf/ukpga_20060021_en.pdf. [Accessed 3 March 2011].
Duncan, S., Edwards, R. and Alexander, C. (eds) (2010) Teenage Parenthood: What’s the Problem? London: Tufnell Press.
Glaser, K., Montserrat, E. R., Waginger, U., Price, D., Stuchbury, R. and Tinker, A. (2010) Grandparenting in Europe, London: King’s College London and Grandparents Plus.
Grandparents Plus (2009) Rethinking Family Life: Exploring the Role of Grandparents and the Wider Family, London: Grandparents Plus.
Grandparents Plus (2010) Grandparentingin Europe, London: Grandparents Plus.
Griggs, J. (2010) Examining the Role of Grandparents in Families at Risk of Poverty, Oxford: University of Oxford.
Hank, K. and Buber, I. (2008) ‘Grandparents caring for their grandchildren: Findings from the 2004 survey of health, ageing, and retirement in Europe’, Journal of Family Issues, 30(1): 52–73.
Hughes, K. and Emmel, N. (2011) Intergenerational Exchange: Grandparents, Their Grandchildren, and the Texture of Poverty. Timescapes Policy Briefing Papers, Leeds: University of Leeds.
Kehily, M. J. and Thomson, R. (2011) ‘Figuring families: Generation, situation and narrative in contemporary mothering’, Sociological Research Online, 16(4): 16. Available at: http://www.socresonline.org.uk/16/4/16.html. [Accessed 18 August 2012].
Kropf, N. and Burnette, D. (2003) ‘Grandparents as family caregivers: Lessons for intergenerational education’, Educational Gerontology, 29: 361–372.
Maposa, S. and Smith Battle, L. (2008) ‘Preliminary reliability and validity of the grandparent version of the grandparent support scale for teenage mothers (GSSTM-G)’, Journal of Family Nursing, 14(2): 224–241.
Neale, B. and Flowerdew, J. (2003) ‘Time texture and childhood: The contours of qualitative longitudinal research’, International Journal of Social Research Methodology: Theory and Practice, 6(3): 189–199.
Neale, B. and Lau Clayton, C. (2011). Following Fathers: The lived experience of teenage parenting over time. Timescapes Policy Briefing Series. Available at: www.timescapes.leeds.ac.uk/assets/files/Policy-Conference-2011/paper-2.pdf.
Neale, B. and Morton, S. (2012) Creating Impact through Qualitative Longitudinal Research, Timescapes Methods Guides Series. Guide no. 20. Available at www.timescapes.leeds.ac.uk/resources.
Phillipson, C. (1998) Reconstructing Old Age, London: Sage.
Sadler, L. S. and Clemmens, D. A. (2004) ‘Ambivalent grandmothers raising teen daughters and their babies’, Journal of Family Nursing, 10: 211–231.
Shepherd, J., Ludvigsen, A. and Hamilton, W. (2011) Parents of Teenage Parents: Research, Issues and Practice, Summary Report, Brighton: Young People in Focus.
Shildrick, T., MacDonald, R., Furlong, A., Roden, J. and Crow, R. (2012) Are Cultures of Worklessness Passed Down the Generations? Report for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Available at: www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/worklessness-families-employment-full.pdf.
Smith Battle, L. (1996) ‘Intergenerational ethics of caring for teenage mothers and their children’, Family Relations, 45: 56–64.
Speak, S., Cameron, S. and Gilroy, R. (1997) Young Single Fathers’ Participation in Fatherhood: Barriers and Bridges, Oxford: Family Policy Studies Centre.
Speight, S., Smith, R., La Valle, I., Schneider, V., Perry, J., Coshall, C. and Tipping, S. (2009) Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents. Research Report DCSF-RR136, London: DFE.
Swann, C., Bowe, K., McCormick, G. and Kosmin, M. (2003) Teenage Pregnancy and Parenthood: A Review of Reviews, Evidence briefing, London: Health Development Agency.
Tan, J. P., Buchanan, A., Flouri, E., Schwartz, S. A. and Griggs, J. (2010) ‘Filling the parenting gap? Grandparent involvement with U.K. adolescents’, Journal of Family Issues, 31(7): 992–1015.
Thomson, R. (2008) ‘Thinking intergenerationally about motherhood’, Studies in the Maternal, 1(1): Available at: www.mamsie.bbk.ac.uk.
Thomson, R., Kehily, M. J., Hadfield, L. and Sharpe, S. (2011) Making Modern Mothers, Bristol: Policy Press.
Townsend, P. (2011) ‘The family life of old people: An investigation in East London’, The Sociological Review, 3(2): 175–195.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2014 Bren Neale and Carmen Lau Clayton
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Neale, B., Clayton, C.L. (2014). Young Parenthood and Cross-Generational Relationships: The Perspectives of Young Fathers. In: Holland, J., Edwards, R. (eds) Understanding Families Over Time. Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137285089_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137285089_4
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-44905-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-28508-9
eBook Packages: Palgrave Social Sciences CollectionSocial Sciences (R0)