Changes in the Family

2 Pages 452 Words

MAIN FINDINGS
 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.
 18 per cent of children were in one-parent families and 8 per cent were in step or blended families.
 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 cent of children had parents who shared care more evenly between them.
 Younger children were likely to visit the parent they did not live with more frequently than older children.
 42 per cent of families (199,200 one-parent families and 53,700 step and blended families) received cash child support from the other parent .
 A further 16 per cent of families received support such as clothing, pocket money and assistance with school fees.
 41 per cent of families received no child support from the other parent.
 Around one-third of all families receiving cash child support received, on average, $100 or less per month per child.
 For one-parent families, the median income for families receiving child support was $18,200, while for those not receiving child support it was $16,900.
 For step and blended couple families, the median income for families receiving child support was $45,140, while for those not receiving child support it was $37,440.

Preface

The 1997 Family Characteristics Survey examined exchanges between children and parents who live apart, most often as a consequence of marriage or relationship breakdown.

While administrative records of child support arrangements are maintained by the Child Support Agency, this was the first time that the ABS conducted a national survey of child support and visiting arrangements. Information includes frequency and duration of contact between chil...