High-rise parenting: experiences of families in private, high-rise housing in inner city Melbourne and implications for children’s health

ABSTRACT

Families raising children in private, high-rise, housing are a new phenomenon in Australian cities. This study explored their experiences and the implications of these findings for children’s health. Parents’ experiences of raising preschool age children in private, high-rise housing (3 storeys or more) in one, inner city Melbourne municipality were explored using the participatory research method Photovoice. Ten parents photographed aspects of their development and neighbourhood perceived to have positive or negative impacts on raising young children. Parents participated in both individual and group interviews about their photographs and key themes were determined. 120 images and over 15 hours of interview material were collected. Three themes were developed from the interviews and photographs relating to: (1) space (2) density and (3) design of housing complexes. The health implications of these experiences were discussed with regards to social ecology theory. Microsystem influences on children’s health included the safety of windows, balconies and car parks, along with exposure to sunlight, noise and places to play. Exosystem influences included the opportunity inner city, high-rise housing provided in maintaining work/family balance. Macrosystem influences included policy on apartment design, which while improving over time (chronosystem influence), is still not directed to families raising children.

KEYWORDS:

• Apartment
• housing
• inner city
• parent
• preschool age child
• Photovoice

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to all the participants along with Council staff, Councillors and service providers who were involved in this project. We also acknowledge the work of Sarah Volders in collecting and analysing some of the background literature.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Fiona J. Andrews

Fiona J. Andrews, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer at Deakin University, School of Health and Social Development, Co-Leader of the Deakin Research Hub HOME, and member of the Centre for Health through Action on Social Exclusion (CHASE). She has research interests and has published on the relationship between neighbourhoods, health and families, with a particular focus on parents of preschool-aged children. She lectures in healthy cities; family health and well-being; health, place and planning.

Elyse Warner

Elyse Warner, PhD, is a Lecturer in the School of Health and Social Development at Deakin University and member of the Centre for Health through Action on Social Exclusion (CHASE). Her research interests include the relationship between families and health, with a particular focus on the influence of housing and community, and she has published on the wellbeing of young adults and parents who return to co-residence. She lectures in human development and family health and well-being.

Belinda Robson

Belinda Robson, PhD is the Senior Policy Advisor at Yarra City Council and a freelance historian with expertise in welfare, mental health and women’s history. She holds a PhD in History from the University of Melbourne. She has published in Australian and international peer-reviewed journals on the history of community mental health, women’s volunteer organisations, child psychotherapy, and art therapy.