THE RISE OF ONE AND DONE

Half of all UK families will only be raising one child by 2031 according to reports. Woman's Own investigates

- FRANCES LEATE

Most women of childbearing age will be asked at some point, 'When are you having kids?', but for some of us, it's the question that inevitably comes after having our first child that we dread the most: 'When are you having another one?' Because these days, for many people the answer is, 'Never!' In fact, half of all UK families are expected to be one child only within the next six years, according to reports. So what's behind this growing trend for one and done? A new global survey conducted by the UN in response to plummeting birth rates suggest it's not all down to preference - with two in five people over 50 surveyed reporting that they didn't have as many children as they wanted due to financial factors – housing, childcare options and job security, as well as health issues, fears about the impact of climate change, wars and pandemics. With the swing towards one-and-done parenting growing, we speak to one mum about the reality of being an only child.

'One is the magic number'

Carrie Ann Booth, 43, shares daughter Roxy, nine, with her husband Gary, 43.