Reconstituted families

Question 1

Haskey

Answer 1

Reconstituted families are a married/cohabiting couple with dependent children, at lesson one who is not biological offspring of both partners (from pervious relationship)

Question 2

Bedell

Answer 2

By 2010 they will outnumber families with two birth parents

Role of stepfather often shifting and uncertain

Reconstituted families can offer chance of successful partnership after earlier one has failed

If both parents were committed to making the family work, it could be a happy unit got children to grow up in

Question 3

De’Ath and Slater

Answer 3

Found number of problems associated with these family units:

1. Children pulled in two directions
2. Tense relationships between children and step parents
3. Stress placed on new partnership
4. Tensions between new siblings

Question 4

Allan and Crow

Answer 4

Sometimes the boundaries of reconstituted families are not clearly drawn