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Twins Trust's State of the Nation research is a groundbreaking piece of research which examines the experiences of parents and families experiencing multiple births.
The research was commissioned by Twins Trust and written by Per Capita, an independent public policy think tank. It contains an analysis of how different OECD countries treat multiple birth families, a survey of over 1,800 UK parents of multiples, an examination of the extant twins and multiples research and an evaluation of how the situation has changed for families with multiples over time.
The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the experience of having multiples in the UK. These experiences offer valuable insights for policymakers, healthcare providers, parents and social support systems, aiming to enhance the wellbeing and support of families with multiples in the UK and beyond.
Take action
We're campaigning for fairer maternity pay for multiples. Play your part by emailing your MP to help this vital issue get raised in Parliament.
Key findings
Raising twins, triplets or more is more difficult in the UK than almost any other advanced OECD economy, particularly because there is so little additional support.
£20k
financial hit
in the first year after birth for families having multiples, compared with having two babies in succession
15%
decline
in families' household income, around £12,500, in the first year after birth
72%
of families
having multiples had to buy a new car to accommodate their children
89%
of parents
said the current childcare provision is inadequate and does not meet the needs of families with multiples
84%
of families
had one or more parent experiencing emotional or psychological challenges in the first year after birth
3
years post-pregnancy
the emotional impact of having multiples continues into the third year post-pregnancy, with parents today feeling less supported than their counterparts in previous decades
Key recommendations from the report - how to change the maternity landscape
The report recommends significant uplifts to the levels of financial and emotional support for families who've had multiples. Our first major campaign focuses on fairer maternity pay, whilst we're addressing the other recommendations behind-the-scenes with government and key stakeholders.
- Fairer maternity pay: The report recommends increasing the financial support for families with multiples. This could change to be maternity pay per baby, rather than per pregnancy, or an expansion of the Sure Start Maternity Grant. Join us in taking action - email your MP to help this vital issue get raised in Parliament.
- Additional mental health support: More support is provided, which acknowledges the significant additional challenges of parenting multiples.
- Extra care support: An allocation of hours of care for families with multiples.