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Living with two biological parents safest for children, study claims

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March 28, 2024

Living with two biological parents is the least risky environment for children, a recently published study has claimed.

Published by the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the study looked at data on a sample of 100,000 households across the US. The researchers focused on nine specific negative experiences – namely divorce or separation; incarceration of a parent or guardian; living with someone suffering from mental illness; living with someone who has a drug or alcohol problem; witnessing domestic violence; racial discrimination; and a parent or guardian who struggles to make enough money.

Children are significantly more likely to experience such events, the researchers found, when they live with only one or neither of their biological parents. Children living with neither parent were 2.7 times more likely to experience at least one of the nine events,  and as many as 30 times more likely to experience four or more such events than children living with both biological parents.

A substantial 70 per cent of children living with both biological parents had experienced none of the events, compared to just 20 per cent of children with only one or neither of their biological parents in their home.

According to the study, children living in foster care had the worst outcomes, with almost half experiencing four or more of the nine negative events.

The researchers say: “The cumulative effect of multiple traumas can be serious; research has shown that the more adverse experiences suffered, the higher the risk of serious health conditions or negative health outcomes.”

The study is reported to be the first compare biological and non-biological parents, rather than those in different types of relationship.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the national public institute of the United States.

The blog team at Stowe is a group of writers based across our family law offices who share their advice on the wellbeing and emotional aspects of divorce or separation from personal experience. As well as pieces from our family law solicitors, guest contributors also regularly contribute to share their knowledge.

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Comments(3)

  1. Luke says:

    I don’t think any of this is a surprise to anyone is it ?

  2. Paul Apreda says:

    This is incredibly important for children in care proceedings. In Wales there has been a 30% increase in Public Law applications in the year to March 2014 from an already high base. ReBS doesn’t yet seem to have had any impact on the system + more worryingly Cafcass Cymru, HMCTS, ADSS + Care & Social Services Inspectorate have introduced training for social workers to make them more ‘efficient’ in presenting cases to Courts

  3. Stitchedup says:

    “a parent or guardian who struggles to make enough money.”

    What’s the significance of this little gem exactly. Are the unemployed and those on minimum wage now at risk of having their children taken away as a result of their inability to earn enough money???

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