Using examples from the Australian context examine how families and family roles have changed over the past 100 years. Discuss how recent social and cultural changes have affected the family.

In this modern society, the 'family' is typically acknowledged as a nuclear family. There are various definitions of the family; according to Bessant and Watts (2002), the family consists of a maximum of two generations sharing the same residence, where the mother and father are married based on a sexual and love relationship, with biological children. The family stays together until the children reach independence and parts from the family to form a new nuclear family. …

…M, Poole (eds.). St Leonards: Allen & Unwin. -<Tab/>Singleton, A. (2005) 'Fathers: More than breadwinners?' in Family: Changing families, changing times. M, Poole (ed.). Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin. -<Tab/>Strong, B and Devault, C. (1986) "The Meaning of Marriage and the Family" in The Marriage and Family Experience. St Paul: West Publishing Company. See reference ABS - see Australian Bureau of Statistics.