Exploring living arrangements of divorced families in the Netherlands Wilma Bakker and Clara H. Mulder Antwerp, June 2009

Introduction In the Netherlands every year to children are involved in a divorce. ‘New’ arrangements emerge, besides the most common weekend arrangement. Which families opt for these arrangements?

Research question Which residential, socio-economic and socio-demographic characteristics of the parents are associated with co-parenting arrangements?

Post-divorce living arrangements Co-parenting arrangement (15%): at least 12 nights (or 9 to 11 nights and respondent reported to be a co-parent) Arrangement with a weekend father (49%): at least 2 nights and less than 9 nights (or 9 to 11 nights and respondent reported not to be a co-parent) Arrangement with an absent father (27%): less than 2 nights Arrangement with a weekend or absent mother (9%): less than 9 nights (or 9 to 11 nights and respondent reported not to be a co-parent)

Hypotheses residential context Living close to each other, more likely to be in a co-parenting arrangement Living in strongly urbanised areas, more likely to be in a co-parenting arrangement

Hypotheses time and money resources High income, more likely to be in a co- parenting arrangement Highly educated, more likely to be in a co- parenting arrangement Part-time job, more likely to be in a co- parenting arrangement

Other independent variables Age of respondent Age of youngest child Number of children Year of divorce Degree of symmetry Presence of new partner

Data & method Survey data First & Second wave Netherlands Kinship Panel Study Main sample N = 8161, selection N = 338 Divorce in the Netherlands 1998 Main sample N = 2346, selection N = 426 Interview data 35 in-depth interviews with NKPS respondents

Results: residential context

This arrangement is only successful when you offer the children one social network, one crèche, one school, one group of friends, in the same neighborhood. Until the children have finished school we have to live close to each other, after that we both can go our own way. (co-father, living less than 1 km from his ex-partner)

Results: time and money resources

Well, the children were really young and we both had a job. I always had a job, so for practical reasons… their father had a part-time job at that moment, so for both of us a co-parenting arrangement was the most practical solution. (Co-mother)

Results: other variables

‘I took half of the care for the children when we were married… and from the beginning of the divorce it was clear that this would be continued… yes continued, because I already did… and Karin wanted to make a step forward in her career.’ (Co-father)

Conclusions Co-parenting arrangement: Crucial role of distance Modern lifestyle: dual careers, highly educated, a high income and a symmetrical pre-divorce division of tasks Different meaning for men and women