Changing Patterns of Family Life - Reconstituted Families
Reconstituted Families:
Reconstituted or blended families are comprised of two partners and children who are the biological children of one of the partners only
With the increase in remarriages in society, reconstituted families are more common in contemporary society
According to the 2011 census, 1.1 million children in the UK live as part of a reconstituted family- 544,000 families -11% of all families in the UK
Reasons for the rise in reconstituted families:
Increased divorce
Changing attitudes to relationships
Changing attitudes to social institutions
Increased life expectancy
Increased divorce:
In recent years the number of marriages and divorces has been falling, however, divorce is now more common in society than in previous generations
The average age of divorce for opposite-sex couples in the UK is 45-49 for males, 40-44 for females
Combined with later marriages and the later average age of childbearing (first child 28 for females and 33 for males)- the formation of subsequent relationships will involve children
Changing attitudes to relationships:
Giddens, Beck and Bauman have all detailed the increased changes in relationships and how individual needs are more important in relationships
The ending of one relationship will inevitably lead to the formation of new relationships in late modern society as people look to satisfy their individual needs
Movement from life-long relationships to serial monogamy
Changing attitudes to social institutions:
Reduced stigma and divorce and remarriage as society becomes more secular in nature
Dysfunctional family units can cause more harm than remaining together- partners may see family as less important than their well-being as the family loses some of its functions
Ideas of parenting do not depend upon traditional gender socialisation- reducing conflict more important than gender role models
Increased life expectancy:
As people live longer in society they are more likely to end unhappy relationships as they have more time to find happiness- 42% of marriages end in divorce
Second marriages are increasing, particularly for men- 35% of all marriages in the UK in 2017 were second marriages for one or both partners
Increasing number of remarriages (and divorces) after the age of 65 in the UK in 2017
Consequences of reconstituted families:
Conflict within the family:
Access to Children
Financial arrangements
Conflict between children and non-biological parent
Relationships with step-siblings and extended family
Second marriages have a lower rate of divorce- 31% compared to 42% according to ONS
Reconstituted Families:
Reconstituted or blended families are comprised of two partners and children who are the biological children of one of the partners only
With the increase in remarriages in society, reconstituted families are more common in contemporary society
According to the 2011 census, 1.1 million children in the UK live as part of a reconstituted family- 544,000 families -11% of all families in the UK
Reasons for the rise in reconstituted families:
Increased divorce
Changing attitudes to relationships
Changing attitudes to social institutions
Increased life expectancy
Increased divorce:
In recent years the number of marriages and divorces has been falling, however, divorce is now more common in society than in previous generations
The average age of divorce for opposite-sex couples in the UK is 45-49 for males, 40-44 for females
Combined with later marriages and the later average age of childbearing (first child 28 for females and 33 for males)- the formation of subsequent relationships will involve children
Changing attitudes to relationships:
Giddens, Beck and Bauman have all detailed the increased changes in relationships and how individual needs are more important in relationships
The ending of one relationship will inevitably lead to the formation of new relationships in late modern society as people look to satisfy their individual needs
Movement from life-long relationships to serial monogamy
Changing attitudes to social institutions:
Reduced stigma and divorce and remarriage as society becomes more secular in nature
Dysfunctional family units can cause more harm than remaining together- partners may see family as less important than their well-being as the family loses some of its functions
Ideas of parenting do not depend upon traditional gender socialisation- reducing conflict more important than gender role models
Increased life expectancy:
As people live longer in society they are more likely to end unhappy relationships as they have more time to find happiness- 42% of marriages end in divorce
Second marriages are increasing, particularly for men- 35% of all marriages in the UK in 2017 were second marriages for one or both partners
Increasing number of remarriages (and divorces) after the age of 65 in the UK in 2017
Consequences of reconstituted families:
Conflict within the family:
Access to Children
Financial arrangements
Conflict between children and non-biological parent
Relationships with step-siblings and extended family
Second marriages have a lower rate of divorce- 31% compared to 42% according to ONS
