Research Confirms Diversity of NZ Families
A report released by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) provides a detailed picture of how the NZ family has changed in recent decades. The report was commissioned from the Population Studies Centre, University of Waikato. "Patterns of Family Formation and Change in New Zealand" describes a range of changes over recent decades in patterns of family formation, dissolution and reconstitution. In particular, it details changes in the age of women at first marriage, rates of cohabitation, age at first birth, rates of separation and re-partnering, and the extent to which children live in different family situations such as sole-parent and blended families.
One of the main findings is that children are being raised in an increasingly diverse range of family circumstances. More children are being raised in sole-parent and blended families, and children are exposed to a range of different family situations as their families change around them.
Key Findings
- The age at which women first marry has increased. Young women are now more likely to cohabit than marry in their first union. The proportion of women who are in a relationship has remained steady as the two trends have counterbalanced each other.
- The number of couples who separate has increased. About one woman in three separates within 20 years of first marrying. Couples are most likely to separate in the early years of marriage, with the likelihood of separating declining as the marriage continues. Women who married at a younger age are more likely to separate.
- Separated people are increasingly likely to form a new relationship. One woman in three has entered a new partnership within two years of separation. About three women in four have re-partnered within 10 years. Women who are older at separation and women with children are less likely to re-partner. The longer a person is separated, the less likely they are to re-partner.
- The age at which women have their first child has been steadily rising. Intervals between births have also been increasing. In recent years, births have been more common outside marriage. Births to women in their teenage years are especially likely to be outside marriage.
- Due to increasing rates of separation and childbirth outside marriage, rates of sole parenthood have risen significantly in recent decades. Nearly half of mothers have spent some time as a sole mother before they turn 50. Young mothers are the most likely to be sole parents. Young mothers, those in professional occupations and those with older children are most likely to move out of sole parenthood.
- Blended families are those that include children from a prior union of one or both partners. Around a fifth of women have spent some time living in a blended family. One in eight of these families included children from previous unions of both partners, which equates to around 2.5 percent of all women.
- Children are staying longer at home. Girls leave home at a younger age than boys. Children, especially girls, are most likely to leave blended families early and least likely to leave intact families early.
The report can be downloaded from http://www.msd.govt.nz |
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