Frequent Residential Mobility and Young Children’s Well-Being

Families change residence for all sorts of reasons, both positive and negative—a new job, the addition or subtraction of family members (for example, the birth of a child, a young person’s departure for college, the dissolution of adult relationships, or the desire to be closer to friends or extended family). However, family moves inevitably disrupt some family routines, and can be a source of stress to both parents and children. For school-age children, a move may also be accompanied by a change in school—another important setting for children’s development.