Children's family circumstances: recent trends in Great Britain

  • Lynda Clarke
Article
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Abstract

Recent trends in family formation and dissolution have led to an increase in the diversity of types of family in which children live and to children experiencing more disruptions and changes throughout their childhood years. Our estimates suggest that only about one half of all children can now expect to spend their entire childhood living with their married, natural parents. For policy concerning the welfare of children, it is important to recognize the large proportion of children who will experience family disruption or the likelihood of transition between family types at some point in their childhood.

Les conditions de vie familiale des enfants: tendances récentes en Grande-Bretagne

Résumé

Les tendances récentes de formation et dissolution des familles ont conduit à un accroissement de la diversité des types de familles dans lesquelles vivent les enfants. Tout au long de leurs années d'enfance ils connaissent également beaucoup plus de ruptures et de changements. Nos estimations suggèrent que seulement la moitié environ de tous les enfants peuvent maintenant compter passer l'ensemble de leurs années d'enfance avec leurs parents mariés ou cohabitants. Pour les politiques de protection infantile il est important de reconnaître la forte proportion d'enfants qui expérimenteront à l'avenir des ruptures familiales, ou la vraisemblance de transition entre divers types de familles à certains moments de leur enfance.

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Copyright information

© Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. 1993

Authors and Affiliations

  • Lynda Clarke
    • 1
  1. 1.Centre for Population StudiesLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineLondonUK

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