Mother's Day 2015 (Media Release)

	MEDIA RELEASE
8 May 2015	Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	59/2015

Did you know these facts about Mums?

• In 2012-13 there were 6,227,200 Australian women aged 18 and over who had given birth to children.

• In 2013, the median age of all mothers was 30.8 years, compared to 30.5 years in 2003.

• The age of first-time mothers varies quite a bit: In 2012-13, 11 per cent of all mums had their first child when under the age of 20 while 7 per cent were 35 years or older when they had their first child.

• In 2012-13, 59 per cent of Australian children (0-14 years) had mums who were employed: 37 per cent full time and 63 per cent part time.

• In June 2014, 71 per cent of working mums used alternative work arrangements to care for their children 0-12 years. Flexible work was used by 39 per cent, part time work by 38 per cent and 19 per cent worked at home.
  

• Also in June 2014, almost two in five (38 per cent) of women who ran their own business had children under 15, and nearly one in five (18 per cent), had a child aged 0-5.*
  

• And some mums have their children at home for a long time - in 2012-13, 17 per cent of 25-34 year olds had never moved out of home.

For more information on mothers see the following ABS products:
Births, Australia, 2014 (cat. no. 3301.0)
Family Characteristics and Transitions, Australia, 2012-13 (cat. no. 4442.0)
Childhood, Education and Care, Australia, June 2014 (4402.0)
Labour Force Survey, June 2014 (cat. no. 6202.0)

*unpublished data: Labour Force Survey, June 2014 (cat. no. 6202.0)

Media notes:

• When reporting ABS data the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) must be attributed as the source.