The Welfare of Families and Children

Abstract

As we have already noted in chapter 2, the vast majority of the Australian population (90 per cent) lives in family settings (table 2.4), and the majority of families, both two and one parent, are family units with dependent children. It is most important to note that family units include units of all ages, including those of retirement age and thus unlikely to have dependent children. As can be ascertained from table 8.1, the proportion of families with dependent children decreased from 55.7 per cent in 1969 to 53.7 per cent in 1986. However, in families without dependent children, 20.5 per cent in 1969 were families where the husband was 65 years or over; this percentage had risen to 25.2 per cent by 1986.