Ethnic differences in family patterns

Question 1

What are the statistics regarding black families in the UK?

Answer 1

• Black Caribbean and Black African people have a higher proportion of lone-parent households: 2012- over 50% of families with dependent children headed by a black person were lone parent families
• High rates of the families being female-headed: evidence of family disorganisation that can be traced back to slavery or, high rates of unemployment among black males
• Mirza: higher rate of lone parent families is due to the high value that black women place on independence

Question 2

What are the statistics regarding Asian families in the UK?

Answer 2

• Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian households tend to be larger than those of other ethnic groups
• Such households sometimes contain three generations, but more are in fact nuclear rather than extended
• Larger Asian households reflect the value placed on the extended family in Asian cultures. It is also helpful when migrating to Britain (Ballard)
• In the early period of migration, houses were often shared by extended families. Later, it was common for relatives to live nearby the nuclear family
• Now, Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus are still more likely than other ethnic or religious groups to live in extended family units