Family instability in South Africa shaped by labour migration, HIV, and non marital fertility has contributed to complex living arrangements for children. Parental absence is common and may have important consequences for child wellbeing, yet evidence on long term trends in rural contexts is limited. This study examines trends in children’s living arrangements from birth to age 19 in rural northeast South Africa between 1993 and 2024, focusing on changes in parental co residence and patterns of parental presence and absence across childhood. We used longitudinal data from the Agincourt Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), covering approximately 120,000 individuals in 31 villages in Mpumalanga Province. Annual household census data were used to classify children into four living arrangement categories: both parents present, both parents absent, only father present, and only mother present. Descriptive analyses assessed temporal trends by age, sex, and household characteristics across four year periods. Multinomial logistic regression examined associations between child and household characteristics and living arrangement categories. Children’s living arrangements became increasingly diverse over time. The proportion living with both parents declined, while mother only residence and absence of both parents increased, particularly between 2021 and 2024. Older children were more likely than younger children to experience parental absence. Female headed households and lower socioeconomic status were strongly associated with mother only residence and absence of both parents. Parental absence is a common and evolving feature of childhood in rural South Africa. This study provides new longitudinal evidence on children’s living arrangements and lays a foundation for future research on how different living arrangements are associated with children’s health and social outcomes.

Authors:
Tlangelani Hlongwane, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa

About the Presenter(s)
Tlangelani Hlongwane is a PhD Research Fellow at MRC/WITS, focusing on child health and development in rural settings, leading data analysis and fieldwork for the Census/SAPRIN project.

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlangelani-hlongwane-45a9a7201

See this presentation on the full schedule – Monday Schedule

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