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The Impact of Family Transitions on Child Fostering in Rural Malawi

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  • Monica Grant
  • Sara Yeatman

Abstract

Despite the frequency of divorce and remarriage across much of sub-Saharan Africa, little is known about what these events mean for the living arrangements of children. We use longitudinal data from rural Malawi to examine the effects of family transitions on the prevalence and incidence of child fostering, or children residing apart from their living parents. We find that between 7 % and 15 % of children aged 3–14 are out-fostered over the two-year intersurvey period. Although divorce appears to be a significant driver of child fostering in the cross-sectional analysis, it is not significantly associated with the incidence of out-fostering. In contrast, maternal remarriage has both a lagged and an immediate effect on the incidence of out-fostering. Furthermore, the likelihood of out-fostering is even higher among children whose mother remarried and had a new child during the intersurvey period. Using longitudinal data collected from living mothers rather than from children’s current foster homes offers new insights into the reasons children are sent to live with others besides their parents. Copyright Population Association of America 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Monica Grant & Sara Yeatman, 2014. "The Impact of Family Transitions on Child Fostering in Rural Malawi," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(1), pages 205-228, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:demogr:v:51:y:2014:i:1:p:205-228
    DOI: 10.1007/s13524-013-0239-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Collin F. Payne & Luca Maria Pesando & Hans‐Peter Kohler, 2019. "Private Intergenerational Transfers, Family Structure, and Health in a sub‐Saharan African Context," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 45(1), pages 41-80, March.
    4. Arlette Simo-Fotso, 2016. "Child Disability and Siblings’ Healthcare Expenditures in a Context of Child Fostering," Working Papers 224, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED).
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    6. Emily Smith-Greenaway, 2020. "Does Parents’ Union Instability Disrupt Intergenerational Advantage? An Analysis of Sub-Saharan Africa," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(2), pages 445-473, April.
    7. Cassandra Cotton, 2021. "An Enduring Institution? Child Fostering in Sub‐Saharan Africa," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 47(4), pages 1179-1206, December.
    8. Bose-Duker, Theophiline & Henry, Michael & Strobl, Eric, 2021. "Child fostering and the educational outcomes of Jamaican children," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    9. Sophia Chae, 2016. "Parental Divorce and Children’s Schooling in Rural Malawi," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(6), pages 1743-1770, December.
    10. Cassandra Cotton & Shelley Clark & Sangeetha Madhavan, 2022. "“One hand does not bring up a child:” Child fostering among single mothers in Nairobi slums," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 46(30), pages 865-904.

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