Children's Independent Mobility Research Articles

Independent mobility and outdoor play time: Insights from urban informal settlements in India

This study assesses differences in children's independent mobility and outdoor play time between two urban informal housing settlements within India's in-situ slum redevelopment policy. This redevelopment policy involves replacement of existing slum housing with new apartment-style structures at the original site. One of the settlements under study has undergone redevelopment, while the other remains on the waitlist for redevelopment. Additionally, the study explores potential gender-based variations in independent mobility and outdoor play time, shedding light on the distinct effects of redevelopment on boys and girls. Questionnaires were administered to mothers, addressing aspects such as independent mobility licenses, the range of independent mobility, the age at which mobility licenses are granted, and the duration of outdoor play of children. Findings show that children in slum settlement were reported to have more mobility licenses, broader independent mobility range, and earlier licenses than children in redeveloped settlement. Gender differences are evident, with girls in redeveloped settlement receiving mobility licenses later than both boys and girls in slum settlement, but boys' age at which they received independent mobility licenses remained consistent regardless of their place of residence. Boys in the redeveloped settlement engage in more outdoor play time than boys and girls in slum settlement. Conversely, girls in slum settlement participate in more outdoor play time than those in redeveloped settlement. These findings have important implications for slum redevelopment policies, highlighting the need to consider morphological aspects of residential environments that support girls' outdoor play time and independent mobility. It is crucial that these considerations be integrated into the design of redeveloped settlements to ensure equitable development of children in such communities.

"Out and about": relationships between children's independent mobility and mental health in a national longitudinal study

ABSTRACT Children's independent mobility (CIM) represents their freedom to travel in their neighborhood without adult supervision. Secular declines in CIM coincided with a major increase in mental health problems among children. We investigated relationships between two indicators of CIM and parent-perceived child distress in a national longitudinal study involving 2,291 Canadian parents of 7- to 12-year-olds at baseline (December 2020) with up to four follow-ups, every six months. We assessed mobility licenses (i.e. children's permission to do certain activities on their own) with 6 items, and home range (i.e. how far [in minutes] children can roam with friends and/or siblings) with a 4-point item. We used generalized estimating equations controlling for children's age and gender, household income, study wave, school attendance, and COVID-19 isolation in the week preceding the survey. At each successive time point, 51.8%, 44.0%, 43.2% and 42.4% of children experienced clinically elevated distress. Compared to children allowed to roam for 15 minutes (OR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.51-0.72) had lower odds of elevated distress. However, CIM licenses were not associated with distress. Our findings underscore the need to support extending children's home range.

After-School Activities of Japanese Elementary School Children: Comparison of Children Who Attend Lessons and Cram Schools With Those Who Do Not.

This study examined the after-school activities of Japanese elementary school children in which little information is available for understanding the process by which participation in organized activities leads to the decrease in children's independent mobility. One thousand eight hundred and twenty-four mothers of elementary school children participated in an online survey. The mothers responded to the questions on the number of lessons (or cram schools) their children attended weekdays, as well as their children's behavior after classes, and parents providing transportation when their children go out to play. The proportion of children attending lessons and/or cram schools increased as their grades progressed. A significant interaction existed between the degree of parental transportation and grade in terms of whether or not the children attended lessons and/or cram schools. Parental involvement included pick up or drop-off for a large percentage of younger children without lessons, whereas the degree of parental involvement was greater for older children attending lessons. In other words, parents of children without attending lessons or cram schools tended to allow children to engage in independent activities when they reached the higher grades, whereas parents of children who frequently attended lessons and cram schools tended to remain involved in transporting their children, even when they reached the higher grades. The results suggested that the participation of children in organized activities leads to a routine of parental pickup and/or drop-off, which renders difficult the facilitation of opportunities for children to independently participate in play activities.

Parental Travel Behaviors and Children's Independent Mobility: A MultiSite Study.

Children who are allowed greater independent mobility (IM) are more physically active. This study investigated associations between parents' current travel mode to work, their own IM and school travel mode as a child, and their child's IM. Children in grades 4 to 6 (n = 1699) were recruited from urban, suburban, and rural schools in Vancouver, Ottawa, and Trois-Rivières. Parents reported their current travel mode to work, IM, and school travel mode as a child. Children self-reported their IM using Hillman's 6 mobility licenses. Multiple imputation was performed to replace missing data. Gender-stratified generalized linear mixed models were adjusted for child age, parent gender, urbanization, and socioeconomic status. The older a parent was allowed to travel alone as a child, the less IM their child had (boys: β = -0.09, 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.13 to -0.04; girls: β = -0.09, 95% CI, -0.13 to -0.06). Girls whose parents biked to work (β = 0.45, 95% CI, 0.06-0.83) or lived in Trois-Rivières versus other sites (β = 0.82, 95% CI, -0.43 to 1.21) had higher IM. IM increased with each year of age (boys: β = 0.46, CI, 0.34-0.58; girls: β = 0.38, 95% CI, 0.28-0.48). Parents who experienced IM later may be more restrictive of their child's IM. This may help explain the intergenerational decline in children's IM.

Children's Independent Mobility, School Travel, and the Surrounding Neighborhood

IntroductionChildren's active travel to and from school (AST) and children's independent mobility (CIM) are consistently positively associated with physical activity (PA); however, few researchers have investigated associations between objective measures of the environment and indicators of AST and CIM in national samples. MethodsA national sample of 2,067 Canadian parents of 7- to 12-year-old children was recruited in December 2020. Regression analyses were used in 2023 to assess the association between geographic information system measures of park density, blue space, population density, greenspace, intersection density, and CIM and AST to and from school. ResultsChildren in areas with high versus low park density (>0.025 vs. ≤0.025) had higher odds of travel to school via active modes (OR: 1.47(1.14, 1.91), p=0.003). Children in neighborhoods in the highest quartile for neighborhood greenspace (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) were more likely to travel to home actively than those in areas of lower greenspace (OR: 1.70 (1.18, 2.45), p=0.004). On average, children living in areas in the highest versus the lowest quartile for intersection density were more likely to engage in AST to (OR:2.43(1.58, 3.75), p<0.001) and from (OR:2.77(1.80, 4.29), p<0.001) school. ConclusionsThe observed associations underscore a need for city planners and policymakers to ensure sufficient access to parks and neighborhood greenspace, especially if findings are confirmed in longitudinal studies. More research is needed to investigate the role of intersection density in supporting AST and CIM.

Addressing Maternal Perceived Fears in Supervising Children's Mobility

Children's independent mobility positively impacts their physical and mental well-being. However, parents' concerns regarding neighbourhood safety often restrict the capability of children to explore their surroundings independently. Our study of various parenting methods for supporting children's everyday use of public space is based on maternal perception of fears and the subsequent impact of those fears on children's limited exposure to spatial mobility. The study employs a qualitative retrospective approach to interview mothers in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area. We selected mothers with an argument that the impact of maternal figures on children's mobility is more significant than that of fathers. The research suggests that mobility experienced by mothers increases their perceived fears resulting in parenting practices that tend to discourage children from independently navigating public spaces. This study demonstrates that a significant reduction in women's ability to have independent mobility throughout their life course may affect their parenting methods in introducing spatial knowledge to children.

Autonomous shuttles contribution to independent mobility for children – a qualitative pilot study

Children's mobility and the opportunity to get around the city on their own has decreased and is today limited to a large extent by unsafe traffic situations. Due to their limited independent mobility, children are excluded from the urban space and its facilities. Independent mobility can be related to several dimensions of children's social, physical, mental and cognitive wellbeing. The purpose of this study is to investigate if and in what way autonomous buses can contribute to children's independent mobility and, using children's experiences, provide insights into this before the introduction of autonomous buses in cities and public transport systems. To do so, the two research questions "How can autonomous buses in the transport system contribute to children's independent mobility?" and "What prerequisites are necessary for autonomous buses to contribute to children's independent mobility?" are answered. The survey is based on a case of introduction of autonomous buses in urban environments. Three focus groups with students in a primary school were conducted with the aim of gaining the participants' experiences. The results indicate that the introduction of autonomous buses in an urban area can contribute to children's independent mobility in several ways and that the buses have certain characteristics that enable them to be adapted to children's conditions. The low speed of the shuttles, which is often seen as an obstacle when it comes to time efficiency, has a positive effect on perceived safety in this case. The mobility solution is also child-friendly in that it is accessible in terms of trip planning and payment. However, it is important to consider the risk that the bus might replace active transportation modes, like cycling. To avoid this, autonomous shuttles should be integrated in a way that complement, not compete with, active travel.

Canadian children's independent mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic: A national survey.

Independent mobility (IM) is associated with children's physical activity and indicators of social, motor, and cognitive development. We surveyed Canadian parents of 7- to 12-year-olds (n=2291) about social-ecological correlates of IM in the second wave of COVID-19 (December 2020). We used multi-variable linear regression models to identify correlates of children's IM. Our final model (R2=0.353) included four individual-, eight family-, two social environment- and two built environment-level variables. The correlates of boys' and girls' IM were similar. Our findings suggest that interventions to support children's IM in a pandemic context should target multiple levels of influence.

Children's autonomous mobility and their well-being

The notion of children's independent mobility is often used to help to understand how much freedom children have in their neighbourhoods, but it does not provide evidence on how autonomous and in control they are over their actions. This is important when considering the influence of children's neighbourhood mobility on their well-being, with autonomy known to be an important element of children's psychological well-being.This paper draws on findings from a research study working with 9 and 10 year olds living in inner London, England. Findings from the study highlight the importance of children's autonomous time within their neighbourhoods. They suggest that this measure is more reflective of the children's experiences of their neighbourhoods and more closely linked to their well-being than their independent mobility. Analysis highlights the importance of active travel and play within the neighbourhood, whether independent or not.

‘Stranger danger’, ‘abduction risks’ and ‘fear’: Media coverage of children's independent mobility and parental attitudes

AbstractThe media plays a powerful role in shaping health‐related attitudes and behaviours. We investigated media reports about children's independent mobility (CIM) and associations with parental attitudes towards CIM. CIM‐related media reports (newspaper, online, television) during a 3‐month period were extracted from two databases. Concurrent parental attitudes were collected via telephone interview from 1779 parents of children aged 9–15 years. Media reports were overwhelmingly negative: 94% mentioned only risks and 6% mentioned benefits. There was no association between media reports and parental attitudes. Parental CIM attitudes are often complex and pervasive and may not be shifted by media coverage alone.

The ambivalence of independent mobility: Balancing perceived risks and expected benefits of walking to school in inner-city neighborhoods

Drawing on two Southern California neighborhoods, this paper assesses children’s perceptions of the risks of walking to school in urban and low-income communities of color, balanced against the expected benefits of child independent mobility. Quantitatively-estimated relationships between children’s travel modes and environmental observations show that those who walk to school – especially those who walk alone – exhibit heightened environmental perceptions at granular levels. They identify more negative aspects of the built environment (both social and physical) than those who are driven, suggesting they feel more vulnerable along their school routes. They also make more observations of the built environment in aggregate, suggesting that walking – an interactive mode of travel – confers greater spatial awareness. To maximize the psychological, cognitive, and social well-being benefits that child pedestrians can accrue from their experiences in inner-city settings, measures mitigating neighborhood risks are a necessary complement to existing traffic safety-oriented policies.

Parents’ Perspectives on Children’s Independent Mobility in Selected Rural Towns in South Africa: A Human Capabilities Perspective

A child’s independent mobility is essential to their social, emotional physical, and cognitive development and provides children the opportunity to explore and experience their environment. The freedom of free movement and security from all forms of harm is necessary for achieving the capability of bodily integrity which is one of the essential capabilities necessary for well-being. Despite this, research on child independent mobility in Africa remains limited. Hence, this paper focuses on parents’ perspectives on children’s independent mobility in rural towns in South Africa to understand the factors that enhance or impede children’s independent mobility. This is essential in suggesting guidelines and recommendations to promote the independent mobility of children in South Africa. A qualitative methodology was used as the research approach to guide the collection and analysis of the data. Data were collected from a sample of parents in the community and thematically analysed in ATLAS.ti. From this study, it can be noted that parents were not comfortable with the independent movement of their children due to the issues of safety around the community. This led to the restricted movement of children, supervised movements, accompaniment of children to school, and organising transport to ferry children to and from school. This study, therefore, calls for the involvement of stakeholders from various levels to develop and implement strategies to promote safe and child-friendly environments in the community. This is essential in enhancing and restoring a child’s independent mobility.

Children's outdoor activities in the inner suburbs of Brisbane, Australia

AbstractTo examine the impact of residential design on children's out‐of‐school, outdoor activities, 149 urban, upper‐primary‐school children were surveyed about their activities and opinions. Findings indicate children participate in outdoor activities unsupervised in yards that provide busy families quick, convenient access to safe greenspace without the need to drive or closely supervise. The research concluded that government policies are required to ensure residential developments provide yards with usable greenspace, leafy streetscapes and safe, walkable access to local facilities. Increased public awareness and understanding of the benefits of greenspace close to home and the importance of children's independent mobility must be prioritised.

Children's Independent Mobility: A Study of Middle Childhood Home Ranges in Two Different Socio-Physical Settings in El-Shorouk City, Egypt

Independent mobility has a positive impact on children's cognitive, physical, and social development. Many factors affect how children utilize spaces surrounding their homes. The characteristics of both the physical and the social environments are important influencing factors. The aim of this study was to explore children's independent mobility and free exploration within their home range extent. The study investigated children's home range extent and independent mobility-related activities in two different settings selected to represent two of the most common socio-physical contexts in the new settlements being developed around Cairo. Methods of data collection included semi-structured interviews with children and parents in addition to neighborhood walk-through observations. The forty children interviewed were categorized into two age groups, 7 to 9 and 10 to 12-year-old and included an equal number of girls and boys. The findings of the study appear to confirm the influence of gender, age, socio-economic context, and physical characteristics of the neighborhood environment on middle-aged children's independent mobility in the Egyptian context. The study suggests that land use diversity and residential density are issues that are closely related to parents' perceptions about the safety of their children around the neighborhood and need to be carefully considered in the planning of new settlements and housing projects.

Association of adolescents’ independent mobility with road traffic injuries in Karachi, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveParticipation in walking, cycling and taking public transportation without adult supervision is defined as independent mobility of children and adolescents. The association between adolescents’ independent mobility and road traffic injury...

Assessing the relationship between housing characteristics and children's independent mobility by PPGIS method

Assessing the relationship between housing characteristics and children's independent mobility by PPGIS method

The proportion of independent to dependent trips: A new measure to understand the effects of the built environment on children independent mobility

IntroductionThe research on the link between the Built Environment (BE) and Children Independent Mobility (CIM) is on the rise due to CIM's multiple health and other policy benefits. These studies have conceptualised and measured CIM using various indicators, such as mobility licence, independent time spent outdoor, and territorial range. A major problem with these indicators is that they do not indicate the extent of CIM behaviour. For example, a child is labelled as independent irrespective of whether they are independent for all trips or for a single trip or the amount of time spent independently compared to time spent with someone. This weakness of previous studies suggests applying proportionate measures to understand the relationship between the BE and CIM behaviour. MethodsThis research uses the proportion of trips made independently as an indicator of CIM and investigates the BE-CIM link stratified by discretionary and non-discretionary CIM. A two-day activity-travel diary data were collected from 151 children aged between 10 and 14 years from Dhaka, Bangladesh. BE data were generated through a virtual BE audit and spatial analysis using ArcGIS and Space Syntax. Three fractional regression models were estimated, one for each of the overall, discretionary, and non-discretionary trips. One Poisson regression model was also estimated for the count of overall CIM to identify if the proportionate measure unlocked new findings. ResultsResults show that: a) the proportion of CIM is higher for discretionary trips; b) the frequently visited locations do not necessarily attract more independent trips; c) proportionate measure unlocks new insights for CIM, and d) BE affects discretionary and non-discretionary CIM differently, e.g. the presence of recreational land use is associated with discretionary CIM but not with non-discretionary CIM. ConclusionsThe findings suggest that the proportionate measure can effectively be applied to measure the extent of CIM, and BE needs to be designed in tandem with the type of CIM to be promoted.

The Impact of the Cairo Streets Development Project on the Independent Mobility of Children: A Field Study on the Streets of Heliopolis, Egypt

Due to significant changes in Cairo’s streets today, young children may face difficulties finding opportunities to be safe and active. They can encounter low independent mobility, limiting their access to places in their neighborhoods, and can have poor access to their schools. This study aims to examine governmental primary school children’s access to schools in their neighborhoods after street modifications in Heliopolis, Cairo, seeking to evaluate the potential risks to child pedestrians. This will subsequently aid in developing a methodology for consistently and fairly evaluating hazards along the route to schools. A survey of six governmental primary schools in Heliopolis, Cairo, was conducted through interviews with children and their parents. Furthermore, a behavioral map of the local neighborhood was completed by children (7–12 years old) of six primary schools from the areas surrounding their schools in which the modifications took place. The results indicate that the most common ways of travelling to school, according to the questionnaire, are either by public transportation (30%) or by a small van/private bus (42%). More than half of the children expressed their wish to walk or cycle to school. The result also found that 69% of the children expressed anxiety about crossing streets. In conclusion, for some children, opportunities to be active in the local neighborhood may be limited due to the new modifications to the streets, resulting in limited independent mobility. To promote a sense of neighborhood safety and increase access to neighborhood public spaces, it is important to work with urban planners and local governments.

Examining how children's gender influences parents’ perceptions of the local environment and their influence on children's independent mobility

Physical inactivity among children is a public health concern. Children's ability to travel independently is associated with increased physical activity and social connectedness. Consequently, it is concerning that children's independent mobility has decreased in recent years. Studies have highlighted that rates of independent mobility vary by gender; this study analyzed how correlates of independent mobility vary between boys (n = 476) and girls (n = 618) attending 32 elementary schools in Southwestern Ontario. Hierarchical logistic regression modeling methods were used. All analyzes were stratified by gender. For boys, age was negatively associated with travel with peers. Having one or more siblings of any age was associated with increased travel with peers and having one or more older/same siblings decreased the likelihood of travel alone. Parents’ perceptions of the journey being too far/taking too much time was negatively associated with boys’ traveling alone. In comparison, age was positively associated with traveling alone for girls. Having one or more younger or older/same siblings were associated with decreased traveling alone, while older/same age siblings were positively associated with traveling with peers. Distance was negatively associated with both traveling with peers and alone. For girls, parents’ perceptions of the journey between home and school being easier to drive and having enough walking trails in the neighbourhood were negatively associated with travel alone and with peers, respectively. The findings of this study can aid in informing future interventions targeting children's school travel and help address inequities in independent mobility between boys and girls.

公園への子どもの移動自由性:Children's independent mobility to nearby parks

公園への子どもの移動自由性:Children's independent mobility to nearby parks