Family size and unemployment in a multiply deprived urban area.

Abstract

McGregor A. (1978) Family size and unemployment in a multiply deprived urban area, Reg. Studies 12, 323–330. In recent years attention has shifted from the problem of inequities between regions to that of inequities within regions and within urban areas. This paper examines the problem of unemployment in Ferguslie Park, an area of severe, multiple deprivation which is located in a relatively prosperous town. The emphasis is placed on the relationship between family size and unemployment, and the analysis utilises a sample of economically active, male household heads from Ferguslie Park. A multiple regression analysis reveals that the likelihood of unemployment rises significantly as the number of dependent children increases. The interpretation and implications of this finding are discussed in the final section.