Households
Family blending
About this topic
Family blending classifies couple families with children according to whether the children are shared by both partners, from a previous relationship, or a mix of both. It applies only to couple families with children, not to all family types or all households.
This topic can help show patterns of repartnering and family complexity within an area. It should be interpreted with household type and households with children, because it is a specialised family-structure measure rather than a summary of all families.
Interpretation notes
- This derived family view applies only to couple families with children, not all families or all households.
- It classifies whether children are shared, step, or blended within the couple family, so it should not be compared directly with headline household totals.
Key insight
In 2021, intact families was the most common family type among couple families with children in Cairnlea, accounting for 92.4% (1,413 families). This share was higher than Brimbank (C) (91.4%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in step families, which decreased by 16 families and 0.9 percentage points.
Section overview
Family blending
Cairnlea - Total couples with children (Enumerated)
This table summarises family blending for Cairnlea in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Brimbank (C) and change since 2016.
Family blending snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Cairnlea, with comparison markers for Brimbank (C).
Intact Family
2021 count
1,413
% of total
92.4%
Change from 2016
+1.7pp
1,413
92.4%
+1.7pp
Step family
2021 count
70
% of total
4.6%
Change from 2016
-0.9pp
70
4.6%
-0.9pp
Blended family
2021 count
40
% of total
2.6%
Change from 2016
-0.6pp
40
2.6%
-0.6pp
Other couple family
2021 count
7
% of total
0.5%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
7
0.5%
-0.1pp
Chart view
Family blending change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Intact Family
-3
+1.7pp
Step family
-16
-0.9pp
Blended family
-10
-0.6pp
Other couple family
-2
-0.1pp
Data table
Family blending for Cairnlea. Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Brimbank (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Brimbank (C)% | Count | % | Brimbank (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Intact Family | 1,413 | 92.4% | 91.4% | 1,416 | 90.7% | 91.8% | -3 | +1.7pp |
| Step family | 70 | 4.6% | 5.5% | 86 | 5.5% | 4.9% | -16 | -0.9pp |
| Blended family | 40 | 2.6% | 2.8% | 50 | 3.2% | 2.8% | -10 | -0.6pp |
| Other couple family | 7 | 0.5% | 0.4% | 9 | 0.6% | 0.5% | -2 | -0.1pp |
| Total couples with children | 1,529 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 1,562 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -33 | 0.0pp |