The effects of house moves during early childhood on child mental health at age 9 years

BACKGROUND: Residential mobility is common in families with young children; however, its impact on the social development of children is unclear. We examined associations between the number, timing and type of house moves in childhood and child behaviour problems using data from an ongoing longitudinal study. METHODS: Complete data on residential mobility and child behaviour was available for 403 families. Three aspects of mobility were considered: (a) number of house moves from birth to <2 years, 2 to <5 years and 5 to 9 years; (b) lifetime number of house moves; and (c) moves associated with different housing trajectories characterized by changes in housing tenure. The primary outcomes were internalizing and externalizing behaviour problems at 9 years derived from Achenbach’s Child Behaviour Checklist. Linear regression analyses were used to investigate the effect of the housing variables on internalizing and externalizing behaviour problem scores with adjustment for a range of sociodemographic and household covariates. RESULTS: Moving house ≥2 times before 2 years of age was associated with an increased internalizing behaviour score at age 9 years. This association remained after adjustment for sociodemographic and household factors. There was no association between increased residential mobility in other time periods and internalizing behaviour, or mobility in any period and externalizing behaviour. There was no effect of lifetime number of moves, or of an upwardly or downwardly mobile housing trajectory. However, a housing trajectory characterized by continuous rental occupancy was associated with an increased externalizing behaviour score. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may suggest that there is a sensitive period, in the first few years of life, in which exposure to increased residential mobility has a detrimental effect on mental health in later childhood.Alice R. Rumbold, Lynne C. Giles, Melissa J. Whitrow, Emily J. Steele, Christopher E. Davies, Michael J. Davies and Vivienne M. Moor

The housing and support needs of people with an intellectual disability into older age

Background: People with intellectual disabilities (IDs) are growing older as a population cohort. Many live at home with family members who are their carers but who are also becoming older and less able to provide care. The housing and support preferences of people with IDs and their carers into older age are poorly characterised in the literature. Methods: Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with 15 people with IDs who work in supported employment and with 10 family members who care for adults with IDs. Data were thematically analysed independently by two researchers. Results: The major themes that emerged were as follows: (1) living arrangements; (2) housing preferences; (3) ageing in place; and (4) transition from informal to formal housing and support services. Conclusions: Participants with an ID and their carers want housing and support that enable people with an ID to maintain and enhance their social networks with their peers as they grow older and require transition to formal housing and support services, and to be able to ‘age in place’. A preference was expressed for models of housing that provide the opportunity for people with an ID to live in close proximity to their peers and in large groups in the community rather than in small, dispersed community housing

Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in Housing Provision in Lagos Megacity Region, Nigeria

The adoption of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in housing provision in Nigeria is intended to increase urban housing stock and address housing affordability and accessibility challenges. However, to date, very little is known about how PPP housing schemes have addressed these challenges. This paper therefore explores the extent to which PPP in housing provision has so far contributed to solving the housing challenges in the Lagos Megacity Region of Nigeria. The paper presents the result of a cross-sectional survey of operators of PPP schemes and housing consumers in the study area. The results show that the PPP approach is basically a formal joint venture partnership involving government providing land at subsidised cost and the provision of serviced plots or construction of housing units by private sector partners. Although the approach has provided affordable serviced plots and housing units for a few high income elites, it has contributed very little to the volume of housing units available to low-income people in Lagos. The paper suggests the adoption of a uniform policy on PPP in housing provision and the establishment of a co-ordinating agency. In addition, government involvement in the provision of infrastructure in PPP housing schemes could increase the affordable housing stock accessible to low-income people in the city.Public-Private Partnership, urban housing, housing affordability, Lagos Megacity Region, Nigeria,