Urban austerity, care, and new parenting

There is evidence that austerity-driven cuts have disproportionately affected low-income, single-parent families, and people with disabilities. Far less attention has been paid to first-time parents. New parents are often heavily dependent on, and benefit from, pre- and post-natal forms of care. 

This project is the first stage of research that will provide comprehensive evidence for understanding the complexity of contemporary parenting care practices in the context of urban austerity. Building new interdisciplinary research at the intersection of human geography and social psychology, Dr Middleton aims to make fundamental contributions to advancing understanding of the physical and mental wellbeing of new parents.