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 Darebin (C), accounting for 93.8% (15,243 families). This share was higher than Greater Melbourne (92%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in intact families, which increased by 300 families and 0.2 percentage points.
Section overview
Family blending
Darebin (C) - Total couples with children (Enumerated)
This table summarises family blending for Darebin (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Melbourne and change since 2016.
Chart view
Family blending snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Darebin (C), with comparison markers for Greater Melbourne.
Intact Family
2021 count
15,243
% of total
93.8%
Change from 2016
+0.2pp
15,243
93.8%
+0.2pp
Step family
2021 count
709
% of total
4.4%
Change from 2016
+0.1pp
709
4.4%
+0.1pp
Blended family
2021 count
258
% of total
1.6%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
258
1.6%
-0.2pp
Other couple family
2021 count
32
% of total
0.2%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
32
0.2%
0.0pp
Family blending change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Intact Family
+300
+0.2pp
Step family
+20
+0.1pp
Blended family
-33
-0.2pp
Other couple family
-7
0.0pp
Data table
Family blending for Darebin (C). Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Melbourne.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Melbourne% | Count | % | Greater Melbourne% | Count | pp | |
| Intact Family | 15,243 | 93.8% | 92.0% | 14,943 | 93.6% | 91.8% | +300 | +0.2pp |
| Step family | 709 | 4.4% | 5.3% | 689 | 4.3% | 5.3% | +20 | +0.1pp |
| Blended family | 258 | 1.6% | 2.4% | 291 | 1.8% | 2.7% | -33 | -0.2pp |
| Other couple family | 32 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 39 | 0.2% | 0.3% | -7 | 0.0pp |
| Total couples with children | 16,246 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 15,959 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +287 | 0.0pp |