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 Sunshine West, accounting for 90.6% (1,909 families). This share was lower than Brimbank (C) (91.4%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in intact families, which increased by 1,851 families, while its share fell by 11.2 percentage points.
Section overview
Family blending
Sunshine West - Total couples with children (Enumerated)
This table summarises family blending for Sunshine West in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Brimbank (C) and change since 2016.
Family blending snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Sunshine West, with comparison markers for Brimbank (C).
Intact Family
2021 count
1,909
% of total
90.6%
Change from 2016
-11.2pp
1,909
90.6%
-11.2pp
Step family
2021 count
115
% of total
5.5%
Change from 2016
+5.5pp
115
5.5%
+5.5pp
Blended family
2021 count
63
% of total
3.0%
Change from 2016
-2.3pp
63
3.0%
-2.3pp
Other couple family
2021 count
5
% of total
0.2%
Change from 2016
+0.2pp
5
0.2%
+0.2pp
Chart view
Family blending change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Intact Family
+1,851
-11.2pp
Step family
+115
+5.5pp
Blended family
+60
-2.3pp
Other couple family
+5
+0.2pp
Data table
Family blending for Sunshine West. 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 | 1,909 | 90.6% | 91.4% | 58 | 101.8% | 91.8% | +1,851 | -11.2pp |
| Step family | 115 | 5.5% | 5.5% | 0 | 0.0% | 4.9% | +115 | +5.5pp |
| Blended family | 63 | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3 | 5.3% | 2.8% | +60 | -2.3pp |
| Other couple family | 5 | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0 | 0.0% | 0.5% | +5 | +0.2pp |
| Total couples with children | 2,107 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 57 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +2,050 | 0.0pp |