Changes in the family

MAIN FINDINGS „h Out of Australia's 4.6 million children aged under eighteen, 1.1 million children live with only one of their natural parents, usually as a result of relationship or marriage breakdown. „h 18 per cent of children were in one-parent families and 8 per cent were in step or blended families. „h The vast majority of children, who had a natural parent living elsewhere, were in the sole care of the parent with whom they lived, while 3 per …

…boomers as they become 'empty nesters'. Couple families with children are projected to increase slowly over the projection period, reflecting a gradual trend away from this type of family. In contrast, one-parent families are projected to increase between 30% and 66% over the 25-year period. In 1996 the number of female one-parent families was more than five times the number of male one-parent families, and this sex difference is projected to remain the same or widen to six.