Tener hijos, ¿forma parte del proyecto vital de los madrileños?maternidad, paternidad y trabajo remunerado en la Comunidad de Madrid, 2017

Abstract

Having children is a private issue. Nevertheless, it has significant consequences at a demographic, economic and social level, also concerning the wellbeing of persons and families. Low fertility rate in Spain is one of the main elements of the current demographic challenge. For a better understanding of such a challenge, it is necessary to know the perception and assessment of the situation among people in childbearing age (that is to say between 20 and 45 years old), as well as to observe if having children has an impact on their job. Focusing on the Community of Madrid, this research has been carried out in 2017 through a structured survey (n=600) and a set of in-depth interviews. The findings show that people in childbearing age living in the Community of Madrid want to have children (such is the case of 83% of the people aged 20-29), but the number of children they really have (1.8 in average) is lower than the number they say they want (2.3). Three main reasons explain the considerable delay for having children: priority given to professional career –mainly in the case of women-, economic security and freedom of movement and the high assessment of leisure options. Some of the factors that make it difficult to have children seem to be a lack of adequate income, a lack of job stability and, also, time related factors. In fact, flexibiy in working hours is the most valued support measure to overcome such difficulties. High personal value accorded to family life and children contrasts with a perception of low social value. The significance and complexity of the topic addressed make the mix-design used adequate. For future research, both the broadening of the sample and of the territorial scope would be appropriate.