Julia Brannen has been a researcher at the Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education and Society since 1982 and in the early 1990s was made a Reader and then Professor. Throughout this time, she has raised funding for research in the field of family life including from government, ESRC and from the EU. She was a co-founder of The International Journal of Social Research Methodology, that she coedited for 17 years.Peter Moss is Emeritus Professor of Early Childhood Provision at UCL Institute of Education, University College London. He has researched and written on many subjects including early childhood education and care, and the relationship between early childhood and compulsory education; the relationship between employment, care and gender; and democracy in education. Much of his work has been cross-national, and he has led a European Commission network on childcare and an international network on parental leave.

• 1. Introduction 2. The study 3. Parental employment and childcare in Britain in the 1980s 4. Women’s employment histories and careers after childbirth 5. Childbirth and occupational mobility 6. Childbirth and the meaning of employment 7. Employed mothers – ideologies and experiences 8. The well-being of mothers 9. Fathers’ employment 10. Managing the dual earner lifestyle 11. Employed mothers and marriage 12. Social networks and the availability of informal support 13. The experience of social network support 14. Conclusions

Julia Brannen has been a researcher at the Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education and Society since 1982 and in the early 1990s was made a Reader and then Professor. Throughout this time, she has raised funding for research in the field of family life including from government, ESRC and from the EU. She was a co-founder of The International Journal of Social Research Methodology, that she coedited for 17 years.Peter Moss is Emeritus Professor of Early Childhood Provision at UCL Institute of Education, University College London. He has researched and written on many subjects including early childhood education and care, and the relationship between early childhood and compulsory education; the relationship between employment, care and gender; and democracy in education. Much of his work has been cross-national, and he has led a European Commission network on childcare and an international network on parental leave.

• 1. Introduction 2. The study 3. Parental employment and childcare in Britain in the 1980s 4. Women’s employment histories and careers after childbirth 5. Childbirth and occupational mobility 6. Childbirth and the meaning of employment 7. Employed mothers – ideologies and experiences 8. The well-being of mothers 9. Fathers’ employment 10. Managing the dual earner lifestyle 11. Employed mothers and marriage 12. Social networks and the availability of informal support 13. The experience of social network support 14. Conclusions

Julia Brannen has been a researcher at the Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education and Society since 1982 and in the early 1990s was made a Reader and then Professor. Throughout this time, she has raised funding for research in the field of family life including from government, ESRC and from the EU. She was a co-founder of The International Journal of Social Research Methodology, that she coedited for 17 years.Peter Moss is Emeritus Professor of Early Childhood Provision at UCL Institute of Education, University College London. He has researched and written on many subjects including early childhood education and care, and the relationship between early childhood and compulsory education; the relationship between employment, care and gender; and democracy in education. Much of his work has been cross-national, and he has led a European Commission network on childcare and an international network on parental leave.

• 1. Introduction 2. The study 3. Parental employment and childcare in Britain in the 1980s 4. Women’s employment histories and careers after childbirth 5. Childbirth and occupational mobility 6. Childbirth and the meaning of employment 7. Employed mothers – ideologies and experiences 8. The well-being of mothers 9. Fathers’ employment 10. Managing the dual earner lifestyle 11. Employed mothers and marriage 12. Social networks and the availability of informal support 13. The experience of social network support 14. Conclusions