Mothers’ ideals and experiences of raising children in inner and outer suburban Melbourne, Australia

ABSTRACT

Parents’ perceptions of their neighbourhoods are important for child health outcomes. This study compared views among mothers in inner versus outer suburbs of Melbourne, Australia using a mixed methods approach. Mothers of preschool-aged children were recruited via playgroups, mother’s groups and preschools and interviewed face-to-face regarding their local area as a good place to raise a family, with a second open-ended interview focussing on mothers’ ideals and experiences of raising children in their current location. Findings demonstrated that mothers had different ideals for, and experiences of, raising their children in their neighbourhoods. Inner suburban mothers valued a manageable work/family balance and access to public transport over the size of their homes. However, access to childcare, secondary schooling and heavy traffic were issues, with the latter two being reasons for moving from the municipality. In contrast, outer suburban mothers preferred a larger home in neighbourhoods that they perceived as low crime, over accessibility to work. Access to a car and activities for their children were also important. Findings suggest no ‘one size fits all’ in respect to what features mothers expect from a good place to raise a family, or how they experience these features. This has implications for service delivery and social planning of suburbs.

RESUMEN

Las percepciones de los padres de su vecindad son importantes para la salud de sus hijos. Desde un acercamiento de métodos diversos, este estudio compara las percepciones de las madres de los barrios céntricos con las percepciones de las madres de las afueras de Melbourne, Australia. Las madres de los niños de edad preescolar fueron contactadas por medio de los patios de recreo, los grupos de madres y escuelas preescolares. Fueron entrevistadas cara a cara sobre su zona local en cuanto a su idoneidad para crear una familia, junto con una segunda entrevista sin límites fijos que se enfocaba en los ideales y las experiencias de las madres en cuanto a la tarea de criar a sus hijos en la zona donde residen. Los resultados demuestran que las madres tienen ideales y experiencias distintos en cuanto a la tarea de criar a sus hijos en sus vecindades. Las madres de los barrios céntricos valoran un equilibrio manejable entre el trabajo y el hogar, y un acceso al transporte público por encima del tamaño de su hogar. Sin embargo, el acceso a los servicios del cuidado de los niños, de la educación secundaria y el tráfico congestionado son preocupaciones, con las dos últimas siendo motivo de mudarse a otra municipalidad. En contraste, las madres de las afueras prefieren una casa larga, en una vecindad percibida como bajo en nivel de crimen, por encima de accesibilidad al trabajo. También les son importantes el acceso a un auto y actividades para sus hijos. Los resultados sugieren que no existe una sola talla para todos en cuanto a las facilidades deseadas por las madres para criar su familia, o como experimentan estas facilidades. Esto trae consecuencias para la entrega de servicios y la planificación social de las zonas residenciales (incluyendo a los barrios céntricos) de la ciudad.

KEYWORDS:

• Ideals
• perceptions
• parents
• suburbs
• neighbourhoods
• preschool-aged children

PALABRAS CLAVE:

• ideales
• percepciones
• padres de familia
• suburbios
• vecindades
• niños de edad preescolar

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the parents who participated in this study and Council staff who assisted with recruitment.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Fiona Andrews, MHlthSc, Ph.D., is a Lecturer at Deakin University, School of Health and Social Development. She has researched the relationship between neighbourhoods, health and families, with a particular focus on parents of preschool-aged children and has partnerships with several local governments in Melbourne. She has taught extensively in the field of public health including in family health and wellbeing, and health and planning.

Julia Shelley, MPH, Ph.D., holds the positions of Associate Professor in the School of Health and Social Development and Deputy Director, Centre for Health through Action on Social Exclusion (CHASE), Faculty of Health, Deakin University. Associate Professor Shelley is a social epidemiologist with research and teaching interests in reproductive and sexual health, social connectedness and social and health inequalities.

Stephanie Rich, BHlth Sci (Hons), is a Health Promotion Officer specialising in women’s health and well-being. She has previously worked in research in the areas of reproductive and sexual health, gender, family violence and Indigenous health.

Alexandra James, BA (Hons), BCom, is a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Social and Political Sciences at Monash University. She recently completed a first-class Honours Degree in Sociology at Deakin University. Currently employed by Deakin University as a tutor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, she has previously worked within the School of Health and Social Development. She has specific research interests in women’s and gender studies.

Notes

1. In Australia public schools are schools that are fully funded by the state.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by a grant from the School of Health & Social Development, Deakin University.