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 Lake Cargelligo, accounting for 90.8% (119 families). This share was higher than Lachlan (A) (86%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in intact families, which decreased by 89 families, while its share rose by 12 percentage points.

Section overview

Family blending

Lake Cargelligo - Total couples with children (Enumerated)

This table summarises family blending for Lake Cargelligo in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Lachlan (A) and change since 2016.

Family blending snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Lake Cargelligo, with comparison markers for Lachlan (A).

Lake Cargelligo
Lachlan (A)

Intact Family

2021 count

119

% of total

90.8%

Change from 2016

+12.0pp

Step family

2021 count

7

% of total

5.3%

Change from 2016

-10.6pp

Blended family

2021 count

3

% of total

2.3%

Change from 2016

-3.8pp

Other couple family

2021 count

4

% of total

3.1%

Change from 2016

+2.0pp

Data table

Family blending for Lake Cargelligo. Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Lachlan (A).

Family blending for Lake Cargelligo. Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Lachlan (A).
Family blending for Lake Cargelligo. Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Lachlan (A).
Category20212016Change
Count%Lachlan (A)%Count%Lachlan (A)%Countpp
Intact Family11990.8%86.0%20878.8%90.2%-89+12.0pp
Step family75.3%8.6%4215.9%3.5%-35-10.6pp
Blended family32.3%2.5%166.1%4.2%-13-3.8pp
Other couple family43.1%2.7%31.1%1.2%+1+2.0pp
Total couples with children131100.0%100.0%264100.0%100.0%-1330.0pp