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 Sutherland Shire (A), accounting for 89.7% (28,683 families). This share was lower than Greater Sydney (90.5%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in step families, which increased by 786 families and 2.3 percentage points.
Section overview
Family blending
Sutherland Shire (A) - Total couples with children (Enumerated)
This table summarises family blending for Sutherland Shire (A) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Sydney and change since 2016.
Family blending snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Sutherland Shire (A), with comparison markers for Greater Sydney.
Intact Family
2021 count
28,683
% of total
89.7%
Change from 2016
-2.1pp
28,683
89.7%
-2.1pp
Step family
2021 count
2,418
% of total
7.6%
Change from 2016
+2.3pp
2,418
7.6%
+2.3pp
Blended family
2021 count
826
% of total
2.6%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
826
2.6%
-0.1pp
Other couple family
2021 count
52
% of total
0.2%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
52
0.2%
0.0pp
Chart view
Family blending change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Intact Family
+264
-2.1pp
Step family
+786
+2.3pp
Blended family
-14
-0.1pp
Other couple family
-13
0.0pp
Data table
Family blending for Sutherland Shire (A). Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Sydney.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Sydney% | Count | % | Greater Sydney% | Count | pp | |
| Intact Family | 28,683 | 89.7% | 90.5% | 28,419 | 91.8% | 92.0% | +264 | -2.1pp |
| Step family | 2,418 | 7.6% | 6.7% | 1,632 | 5.3% | 5.0% | +786 | +2.3pp |
| Blended family | 826 | 2.6% | 2.5% | 840 | 2.7% | 2.7% | -14 | -0.1pp |
| Other couple family | 52 | 0.2% | 0.3% | 65 | 0.2% | 0.3% | -13 | 0.0pp |
| Total couples with children | 31,979 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 30,961 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +1,018 | 0.0pp |