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 Cockburn (C), accounting for 83.3% (12,889 families). This share was higher than Greater Perth (82.9%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in step families, which increased by 1,145 families and 6.7 percentage points.
Section overview
Family blending
Cockburn (C) - Total couples with children (Enumerated)
This table summarises family blending for Cockburn (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Perth and change since 2016.
Family blending snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Cockburn (C), with comparison markers for Greater Perth.
Intact Family
2021 count
12,889
% of total
83.3%
Change from 2016
-6.5pp
12,889
83.3%
-6.5pp
Step family
2021 count
2,011
% of total
13.0%
Change from 2016
+6.7pp
2,011
13.0%
+6.7pp
Blended family
2021 count
500
% of total
3.2%
Change from 2016
-0.4pp
500
3.2%
-0.4pp
Other couple family
2021 count
73
% of total
0.5%
Change from 2016
+0.2pp
73
0.5%
+0.2pp
Chart view
Family blending change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Intact Family
+463
-6.5pp
Step family
+1,145
+6.7pp
Blended family
+4
-0.4pp
Other couple family
+31
+0.2pp
Data table
Family blending for Cockburn (C). Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Perth.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Perth% | Count | % | Greater Perth% | Count | pp | |
| Intact Family | 12,889 | 83.3% | 82.9% | 12,426 | 89.8% | 89.4% | +463 | -6.5pp |
| Step family | 2,011 | 13.0% | 13.1% | 866 | 6.3% | 6.5% | +1,145 | +6.7pp |
| Blended family | 500 | 3.2% | 3.5% | 496 | 3.6% | 3.6% | +4 | -0.4pp |
| Other couple family | 73 | 0.5% | 0.5% | 42 | 0.3% | 0.4% | +31 | +0.2pp |
| Total couples with children | 15,467 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 13,836 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +1,631 | 0.0pp |