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 Meadow Springs, accounting for 73.7% (848 families). This share was higher than Mandurah (C) (71.5%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in step families, which increased by 143 families and 11.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Family blending
Meadow Springs - Total couples with children (Enumerated)
This table summarises family blending for Meadow Springs in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Mandurah (C) and change since 2016.
Family blending snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Meadow Springs, with comparison markers for Mandurah (C).
Intact Family
2021 count
848
% of total
73.7%
Change from 2016
-10.8pp
848
73.7%
-10.8pp
Step family
2021 count
239
% of total
20.8%
Change from 2016
+11.5pp
239
20.8%
+11.5pp
Blended family
2021 count
54
% of total
4.7%
Change from 2016
-1.2pp
54
4.7%
-1.2pp
Other couple family
2021 count
11
% of total
1.0%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
11
1.0%
+0.5pp
Chart view
Family blending change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Intact Family
-20
-10.8pp
Step family
+143
+11.5pp
Blended family
-7
-1.2pp
Other couple family
+6
+0.5pp
Data table
Family blending for Meadow Springs. Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Mandurah (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Mandurah (C)% | Count | % | Mandurah (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Intact Family | 848 | 73.7% | 71.5% | 868 | 84.5% | 84.1% | -20 | -10.8pp |
| Step family | 239 | 20.8% | 22.1% | 96 | 9.3% | 9.2% | +143 | +11.5pp |
| Blended family | 54 | 4.7% | 5.6% | 61 | 5.9% | 6.0% | -7 | -1.2pp |
| Other couple family | 11 | 1.0% | 0.9% | 5 | 0.5% | 0.8% | +6 | +0.5pp |
| Total couples with children | 1,151 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 1,027 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +124 | 0.0pp |