Do Childhood Experiences of Parental Separation Lead to Homelessness?

53 Pages Posted: 2 Jun 2017

See all articles by Julie Moschion

Julie Moschion

the University of Queensland; Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Jan C. van Ours

Tilburg University - Department of Economics; University of Melbourne - Department of Economics

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Date Written: June 1, 2017

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of parental separation on homelessness. Previous studies have only been able to provide descriptive evidence that parental separations relate to reductions in housing quality and stability. Using a unique dataset of disadvantaged Australians who provide retrospective information on parental separation and housing circumstances, we estimate bivariate duration models to examine transitions into homelessness following parental separation. Controlling for observed as well as unobserved family and individual characteristics, and exploiting the timing of events, we show that parental separation significantly increases the likelihood of experiencing homelessness in subsequent years if the separation occurred before the respondent was 12 years old. Parental separation occurring from the age of 12 only increases boys’ likelihood of becoming homeless, but not girls’.

Keywords: Parental Separation, Homelessness, Australia

JEL Classification: D12, J12

Suggested Citation

Moschion, Julie and van Ours, Jan C., Do Childhood Experiences of Parental Separation Lead to Homelessness? (June 1, 2017). Melbourne Institute Working Paper No. 14/17, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2979051 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2979051

Julie Moschion (Contact Author)

the University of Queensland ( email )

St Lucia
Brisbane, Queensland 4072
Australia

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) ( email )

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Jan C. Van Ours

Tilburg University - Department of Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands
+31 13 466 2880 (Phone)
+31 13 466 3042 (Fax)

University of Melbourne - Department of Economics ( email )

Melbourne, 3010
Australia

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