Childhood internal migration in Europe: Developments across cohorts and countries

Abstract

Internal migration is the driving force behind population re-distribution within countries. Although internal migration has been extensively studied among adults, little is known about patterns in childhood migration, and even less so in a comparative manner. This study, therefore, adopts a child-centred approach and contributes to the literature by exploring cross-national changes in childhood migration across birth cohorts. Moreover, it examines how patterns of childhood migration relate to the postponement of childbearing. Drawing on retrospective residential histories from the SHARE survey, we analyzed childhood migration trajectories of 178,476 individuals born between 1935 and 1994 in 28 European countries. Cohort analyses confirm a country gradient in childhood migration, with the highest migration rates in Northern Europe and the lowest in Southeastern Europe. Nonetheless, across nearly all countries, childhood migration has consistently declined since the 1970s. Furthermore, when children relocate, it happens at increasingly younger ages. Finally, we find that these patterns are related to the increasing childbearing age across Europe. Our results thereby highlight the interplay between childhood migration and adult family life's changing dynamics, offering a novel perspective on the link between these two demographic components.