Diversity Challenge

Celia HannonFamily and Parenting Institute

‘Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its

own way. ’Anna KareninaTolstoy, 1873

1. The ‘new’ diversity?

2. Diversity challenge

3. Implications for family services?

Family Diversity

‘Families have always been diverse; there has never been such a thing as

the ideal British family unit.’

Happy families? History and family policyProfessor Pat Thane

Taking the long view…

An accelerated pace of change?

• The percentage of the UK population born outside the UK has approximately doubled between 1951 to 2001.

• The proportion of children born outside marriage increased from under 10 per cent in 1971 to 45 per cent in 2008 in England and Wales.

• Mothers’ employment has tripled since 1951.

Trends to watch?• One in four families received childcare support from

grandparents and almost all families receive some kind of financial support.

• New family forms: eg the last five years have seen a 4 fold increase in lesbian couples having IVF

• The percentage of adults living in one-person households increased from 6 per cent in 1971 to 12 per cent in 2008.

64 per cent believe that society will have different views about what constitutes a family in the future

Diversity challenge

Divided on Diversity?77 per cent of people believe that single parents can be a proper family and 59 per cent believe that same sex couples can be a proper family….but..36 per cent state that a couple should be married to be a proper family.

Inclusive of Diversity?22 per cent believe their family type is not valued by society and 52 per cent think the Government fails to take their family set-up into account.

Source: Centre for the Modern Family, 2011

Implications for family services?

Thank you….

Future Families

Mapping family needs

Family Friendly Scheme