Does Living with Kin Support Single Mother’s Employment? A Comparative Study

• In Event: Policies Affecting Separated Families Around the World

Abstract

Single motherhood has risen globally, with increases observed across Europe, the United States, and Latin America, where many women now live with extended family to mitigate economic vulnerability and balance caregiving with breadwinning responsibilities. This arrangement not only supports single mothers by reducing childcare burdens and household costs but also provides social and economic security for aging relatives. Despite its prevalence—with at least half of the world’s single mothers co-residing with relatives (UN Women, 2019)—the role of kin coresidence in shaping single mothers’ employment remains understudied. Existing research in Latin America tends to focus on labor force participation and hours worked, often overlooking broader employment conditions, leaving key gaps in understanding how household structures influence labor market outcomes.

This study addresses these gaps by examining whether and how kin coresidence affects single mothers’ employment and job quality in various socio-economic and cultural contexts. By analyzing data from various countries in Latin America, we seek to understand whether kin coresidence enhances or hinders single mothers’ employment and employment conditions. Studying this association is crucial for understanding how family arrangements shape labor market access and job quality for single mothers. The findings have important implications for designing policies that support women’s caregiving roles and promote equitable and stable employment opportunities across various settings.

We use data from the Luxembourg Income Study (waves X–XII, 2017–2023) to examine whether and how kin coresidence is associated with single mothers’ employment in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. The sample includes 204,157 single mothers aged 20–55 living with at least one child under 18. We distinguish between those residing only with their children and those living with children and other relatives. The analysis has two components. First, we use descriptive statistics to compare employment rates and conditions—such as average weekly hours, part-time status, informal work, and multiple job holding—across household types and countries. Second, we estimate multivariate regression models to assess the association between kin coresidence and two main outcomes: employment status and part-time work. The key independent variable is kin coresidence, defined by household composition.

Preliminary findings show that single mothers who live only with their children are more likely to be employed than those residing with relatives. However, this employment is often precarious, involving part-time, temporary, or informal work. In contrast, kin coresidence appears linked to more stable employment outcomes, though patterns vary by country. In some contexts, younger mothers with young children are overrepresented in extended households, while in others, older mothers are more common. These results contrast with previous research suggesting a positive link between kin support and employment and highlight how national contexts –particularly income levels and social protection systems— shape mothers’ labor market experiences. Our findings highlight the importance of accounting for family and household structure in labor market policy and point to the need for targeted interventions to improve job quality and economic security for single mothers across various countries.

Author

• Angela Guarin, Universidad de los Andes
  Presenting Author