New mothers, employment and income
Analysis using the Person Level Integrated Dataset
Overview
Mothers’ employment rates have increased over recent decades but having a child is still a pivotal event when many mothers disrupt or change their participation in paid work. There are varied experiences, from those mothers who are out of work at this time to those who return to work in the early months after the birth. This report explores some of the diversity in the employment patterns of new mothers – that is, mothers with a child under one year of age, whether or not this is their first child.
The research uses the Person Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA) to analyse 2021 Australian Census of Population and Housing (the census) data linked to data from the Australian Tax Office (ATO) and DOMINO, the database that holds information about Department of Social Services (DSS) payments (including pensions, benefits and concessions). Using these data, we examine differences in mothers’ employment by child age in months and a range of other characteristics. We also provide some information about mothers’ and families’ incomes at this time.
The findings in this report further build the evidence base on mothers’ employment and could be used to inform policy in a range of areas including gender equality, income support and industrial relations.
Acknowledgements
This report presents findings from the Statistical Profile of use of Paid Parental Leave and Dad and Partner Pay project that uses the Person Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA). The project was initiated by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) to explore Australian families’ use of Parental Leave Pay (PLP) and Dad and Partner Pay (DAPP). The project has been extended to explore other government payments.
We thank the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) for their help in establishing the project and for ongoing support to access the data and associated outputs. We appreciate the input of all data custodians who continue to make data available through PLIDA, and the ABS for continuing to maintain and improve this rich data source.
Views expressed in this publication are those of individual authors and may not reflect those of the Australian Government or the Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Featured image: © GettyImages/SrdjanPav
Baxter, J. (2025). New mothers, employment and income: Analysis using the Person Level Integrated Dataset. Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.
978-1-76016-393-8
27 August 2025