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 Birchgrove, accounting for 93.8% (391 families). This share was higher than Inner West (A) (92.1%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in intact families, which increased by 370 families, while its share fell by 29.7 percentage points.

Section overview

Family blending

Birchgrove - Total couples with children (Enumerated)

This table summarises family blending for Birchgrove in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Inner West (A) and change since 2016.

Family blending snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Birchgrove, with comparison markers for Inner West (A).

Birchgrove
Inner West (A)

Intact Family

2021 count

391

% of total

93.8%

Change from 2016

-29.7pp

Step family

2021 count

19

% of total

4.6%

Change from 2016

+4.6pp

Blended family

2021 count

9

% of total

2.2%

Change from 2016

+2.2pp

Other couple family

2021 count

0

% of total

0.0%

Change from 2016

0.0pp

Data table

Family blending for Birchgrove. Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Inner West (A).

Family blending for Birchgrove. Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Inner West (A).
Family blending for Birchgrove. Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Inner West (A).
Category20212016Change
Count%Inner West (A)%Count%Inner West (A)%Countpp
Intact Family39193.8%92.1%21123.5%93.1%+370-29.7pp
Step family194.6%6.3%00.0%5.0%+19+4.6pp
Blended family92.2%1.5%00.0%1.6%+9+2.2pp
Other couple family00.0%0.2%00.0%0.3%00.0pp
Total couples with children417100.0%100.0%17100.0%100.0%+4000.0pp