Family Life in the UK

Dr Susan Barton

• Family structures• The changing family• Education and socialisation• Support and care

Health and social careThe roles of the public, private and

voluntary sectors

Household

• Single person• Couple• Nuclear family• Single-parent or one-parent

family• Extended family• House mates in shared

houses of multiple occupation

Couples• Partners• Marriage• Husband and

wife• Cohabitation• Same-sex

couple• Civil

partnership

Nuclear family

• Parents and their children

• Mother and father, sons and daughters

• Mum, dad and the kids

Siblingsbrothers and sisters

Extended family - generations

Great grandparents, grandparents, parents, childrenGrandmother, grandfatherGrandma, granny, nannaGrandpa, dranddad

Multigenerational households

Extended familyMother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, Step-mother, step-son

Adoption

Fostering

Changes in the family

The traditional nuclear family is in decline in Britain as more people chose to live alone or as couples without children, data suggests.

Fewer people are getting married, with 143,000 first marriages in England and Wales happening in 2007, compared with 340,000 in 1971

The Office for National Statistics said the most common type of household was the couple family household, but that there had been a "decline" in the proportion of households containing a "traditional" family unit.

The number of people living in family homes with children fell from 52% in 1961 to 36% in 2009, the Office of National Statistics said in 2010.

Single-parent families

Separation and divorce

The changing family(Office of National Statistics)

1961• 11% of homes were single

person households

• 26% contained childless couples

• 3% single parents

2010• 28% of homes are single

person households

• 29% contain childless couples

• 12% single parents

Childcare

Registered childminder Day nursery

Pre-school education under-5s

Sure Start Children’s Centres Nursery school

Children’s Centres

• There are more than 3,600 children’s centres in England. They bring all the different support agencies together to offer a range of services to meet the needs of parents and children, all in one place.

• Somewhere a child can make friends and learn as they play. Parents can get professional advice on health and family matters, learn about training and job opportunities or just socialise with other people.

Services children's centres must offer

• Children’s centres are developed in line with the needs of the local community so no one children’s centre is the same. However, there is a core set of services they must provide:

• •child and family health services, ranging from health visitors to breastfeeding support• •most centres offer high quality childcare and early learning - those that don’t can help advise on local childcare

options

• •advice on parenting, local childcare options and access to specialist services for families like speech therapy, healthy eating advice or help with managing money

• •help for parents to find work or training opportunities, using links to local Jobcentre Plus offices and training providers

Other services at Children’s Centres

The services available will depend on your local area. At many children's centres you can:

•see a dentist, dietician or physiotherapist

•visit the ‘stop smoking’ clinic

•get faster access to expert advice, support and short-term breaks if your child has learning difficulties or disabilities

•talk to Citizens Advice

•take parenting classes

•improve your English if it is not your first language - with someone from your own culture

Primary schoolInfant school, ages 5 to 7Key Stage 1

Junior school, ages 8 to 11Key Stage 2, Up to Year 6

Secondary educationComprehensive schoolKey Stages 3 and 4Ages 11 to 16 GCSE Exams at age 16

Sixth Form or Further EducationSixth Form College Age 16 to 18Mostly academic educationA Level Exams

Further Education College16+ Vocational education

ApprenticeshipsWork-based, vocational education and training

Higher Education

UniversityHigher National DiplomasUndergraduates – degree courses – BA, BScPost-graduate – MA, MSc, MPhil, PhDProfessional and higher vocational courses, eg PGCE, CQSW-

Other children’s services

Play Rangers Youth work and youth clubs

Ageing population

10 million people in the UK are over 65 years old.3 million people are over 80 years old.

Health and Social Care

What services may be available:• A place in a care home or

elderly persons’ home• Home care services• Home helps• Adaptations to the home• Meals• Recreational and

occupational activities• Day centres

People with disabilitiesSocial inclusion and combatting social exclusion

Physical disabilites• Mobility• Access

Learning disabilities• Promoting independence• Access

Voluntary sector

Charities • Age UK• National Childbirth Trust• Mencap• Special Olympics• Menphys• Scope• Samaritans• Red Cross• NSPCC• Guide Dogs for the Blind• Childline• Royal British Legion

Faith organisations

CSRCorporate and Social Responsibility

Companies’ Social and economic alignment, good practice and values

• GrantsSponsorship• A business relationship

The biggest provider of care and support is still the family, especially women