childbearing/single-hood

Question 1

what are some of the childbearing patterns?

Answer 1

• women are having children later as they want to establish a career first - average age of having child is 28.1
• women are having fewer children than in the 20th century
• more women are remaining childless
• nearly half of all children are born outside of marriage - twice as many in 1986

Question 2

what are the reasons for the changes in childbearing patterns?

Answer 2

• decline in stigma and increase in cohabitation - only 28% of 25-34 yr olds think marriage comes before parenthood
• women have more options than just motherhood and becoming housewives

Question 3

what are some lone-parent family patterns?

Answer 3

• 90% of all single parent households are matriarchal
• these families are twice as likely to be in poverty

Question 4

what are the reasons for changes in lone-parent families?

Answer 4

• increase in divorce and number of never married women having children - this is linked to the decline in stigma attached to births outside marriage
• mostly female headed as divorce courts usually give custody of children to mothers

Question 5

what are some of the step family patterns?

Answer 5

• in 85% of step families at least one child s from the mothers previous relationship
• step families account for over 10% of all families with dependant children

Question 6

what are the reasons for changes in step family patterns?

Answer 6

• increase in divorce and separation
• step parents are at greater risk of poverty as there are often more children to support from pervious relationships as well
• children are more likely to remain with their mother after relationships break up