Households
Family Blending
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.
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 Southern Mallee (DC), accounting for 93% (174 families). This share was higher than Regional SA (85.5%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in intact families, which decreased by 8 families, while its share rose by 4.2 percentage points.
Section overview
Family blending
Southern Mallee (DC) - Total couples with children (Enumerated)
This table summarises family blending for Southern Mallee (DC) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional SA and change since 2016.
Chart view
Family blending snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Southern Mallee (DC), with comparison markers for Regional SA.
Intact Family
Step family
Blended family
Other couple family
Family blending change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Intact Family
-8
+4.2pp
Step family
-2
-0.6pp
Blended family
-1
-0.2pp
Other couple family
+3
+1.6pp
Data table
Family Blending for Southern Mallee (DC). Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional SA.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional SA% | Count | % | Regional SA% | Count | pp | |
| Intact Family | 174 | 93.0% | 85.5% | 182 | 88.8% | 85.9% | -8 | +4.2pp |
| Step family | 9 | 4.8% | 7.9% | 11 | 5.4% | 7.7% | -2 | -0.6pp |
| Blended family | 7 | 3.7% | 5.5% | 8 | 3.9% | 5.4% | -1 | -0.2pp |
| Other couple family | 3 | 1.6% | 1.1% | 0 | 0.0% | 0.9% | +3 | +1.6pp |
| Total couples with children | 187 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 205 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -18 | 0.0pp |