Changing Patterns of Family Life - Diversity of Family Structures

Is there a typical family structure:

• Structural theories suggest that a typical family structure exists and that this structure is closely linked to the nuclear family- opposite-sex partnership with biological children

• Other theorists have suggested that there has been a growth in family diversity in recent years and that we can no longer say there is a typical family type

Family diversity statistics- ONS 2019:

• In 2019, there were 19.2 million families, a 6.8% increase over the decade from 2009 to 2019

• Married or civil partner couples remain the most common type in 2019, they represent two-thirds of coupled families in the UK

• There were 2.9 million lone-parent families in 2019, which is 14.9% of families in the UK

• London has the highest proportion (19.1%), while the South West of England (10.9%) has the lowest

Robert Chester (1985):

• According to Chester, the extent of diversity has been exaggerated in contemporary society

• More people live in a family that is structured into a couple with children- although the organisation of relationships may vary

• Chester also suggested that throughout the life course, most people will inevitably end up in a couple with children- e.g. lone parents come from a couple, may meet a new partner and form a second couple

Rapoports (1982):

• Diversity has always existed- families vary on several grounds

  • Organisational diversity

  • Cultural diversity

  • Life-cycle diversity

  • Social class diversity

  • Cohort or Generational diversity

Brannen et al (2000):

• The Beanpole family is becoming the most dominant form of family

• People are living longer and parents are increasingly involved in their adult children’s lives- including providing economic and practical support

• Smaller families mean that fewer siblings to rely upon for support and, with geographical mobility, they may not be accessible- leaving the family tree looking long and thin rather than pyramid-shaped

Theoretical approaches to diversity:

• New Right have shown a preference for traditional values and this has been demonstrated in state policy

• Feminists support the greater diversity of family types- divorce provides women with greater choice and control over lives

• Postmodern and personal life perspectives both explain that families are social constructs of the individual’s choosing and therefore diverse

Conclusions on the debate:

• ONS data would support Chester’s view that the most common family structure fits into the traditional family structure of parents and children

• Greater diversity over recent years- the rise of lone person and lone parent households cannot be discounted -proves greater choice over personal lives

• The life cycle approach suggests we will be part of a range of different families over our lifetime- possible that there is a typical family type for each stage of our lives