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 Bentley Park, accounting for 79.1% (773 families). This share was lower than Cairns (R) (82.4%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in intact families, which increased by 770 families, while its share fell by 20.9 percentage points.

Section overview

Family blending

Bentley Park - Total couples with children (Enumerated)

This table summarises family blending for Bentley Park in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Cairns (R) and change since 2016.

Family blending snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Bentley Park, with comparison markers for Cairns (R).

Bentley Park
Cairns (R)

Intact Family

2021 count

773

% of total

79.1%

Change from 2016

-20.9pp

Step family

2021 count

127

% of total

13.0%

Change from 2016

+13.0pp

Blended family

2021 count

71

% of total

7.3%

Change from 2016

+7.3pp

Other couple family

2021 count

13

% of total

1.3%

Change from 2016

+1.3pp

Data table

Family blending for Bentley Park. Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cairns (R).

Family blending for Bentley Park. Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cairns (R).
Family blending for Bentley Park. Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cairns (R).
Category20212016Change
Count%Cairns (R)%Count%Cairns (R)%Countpp
Intact Family77379.1%82.4%3100.0%86.7%+770-20.9pp
Step family12713.0%12.5%00.0%8.1%+127+13.0pp
Blended family717.3%4.4%00.0%4.5%+71+7.3pp
Other couple family131.3%0.6%00.0%0.7%+13+1.3pp
Total couples with children977100.0%100.0%3100.0%100.0%+9740.0pp