Policy context

The type of family composition or structure in which children grow up matters for their development. This is because these structures influence children’s caregiving environments, including the levels of parenting and economic resources available to or invested in them and the nature of their relationships with their caregivers.¹

Changes in family structure, regardless of their nature, have the potential to adversely affect child development. They can disrupt established family roles and routines, and potentially lead to changes in residence, parental employment, and social support networks. These changes can consequently generate stress and conflict, impacting both children and their parents/carers.²

In recent decades, Australian families have undergone significant change. The diversity of families is evident in the growth of so-called non-traditional family structures. In 2022, of the families in Australia, 14 per cent were sole parent families headed up by either a female (82.8%) or male (17.2%) parent.³ Compared with other family types, one parent families are considered to be at a higher risk of disadvantage, with respect to income, housing, employment and social participation.

Same-sex attracted parents and their children are still a small minority of Australian children and parents, however, it is likely that currently available data under-represents the total number of families, particularly sole parents.⁴