This research was done to understand the influence of maternal chronic illness and disability on the socio-emotional development of children across early to mid-childhood in New Zealand.
Our results show a negative link between maternal chronic illness and disability and child socio-emotional outcomes at eight years of age, but not at earlier ages. We also find that the relationship between maternal health and child socio-emotional outcomes can be explained by parenting style in early childhood, but not in mid-childhood, after commencement of formal education.
Our results highlight the role of maternal health for the formation of skills in childhood that influence future life chances. Our study informs social policy, by highlighting the need to support families with young and middle-age children that are affected by maternal chronic illness and disability, to counteract its contribution to inequality of opportunity arising in childhood.