Frequent Residential Mobility and Young Children's Well-being
More than nine million children in the United States changed residence in 2011. Child Trends' latest brief, Frequent Residential Mobility and Young Children's Well-being, examines demographic characteristics of young children identified as "frequent movers," as well as how the experience of frequent moves is associated with their mental and physical health, compared with children who have experienced more residential stability. Examining children younger than six who moved five or more times, we found that only a small percentage of young children experienced frequent moves. However, children from households with no fully employed adult, children from single-parent households, and children who are mixed-race or Hispanic were over-represented in this group.
Interestingly, no obvious harm to well-being was associated with frequent moves, although we suggest that children experiencing frequent moves may be vulnerable due to their greater exposure to multiple sources of risk. Thus, while frequent moving in itself may not pose risks to children, it can be a flag for identifying potentially vulnerable children and families.