Download Family Structures Notes

The Family
Definition of Family– “a group of people related through blood, marriage or
adoption”.
Family Structures (Types of Families)
Type of family
Characteristics
Nuclear Family
 Parents and children.
 Usually small families.
 Relations not living close
together.
 Provide financially for
themselves.
 Mobile (can move easily).
 Can be isolated in times of
crisis.
Extended Family
 Parents, children, grandparents,
aunts, uncles and cousins.
 Large families.
 Living in one house or living very
close together.
 Depend on each other financially
e.g. the family may work the farm.
 Support each other in times of
crisis.
Lone-Parent Family
 Causes include divorce,
separation, death.
 More women head single-parent
families than men.
 May be dependent on state
benefits.
 May be stressful and difficult
at times.
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Blended Family
 Consist of partners with
children from previous relationships
and often their own children.
 Large extended family.
 May lead to conflict.
 May be financial pressure.
Development of the Family in Ireland
Early 20th Century:
 Most common form of family was the extended family.
 Large number of children as they were seen as an economic asset and
worked from an early age.
 Child mortality (deaths) was high often due to poor living standards.
 Mainly lived in rural areas on farms.
 There were strict segregated roles. Women cared for family and took
care of home, men worked on the farm or in business.
 Patriarchal – home ruled by father.
 Many marriages were arranged – influenced by landownership and
dowries.
 Inheritance given to males only (usually father to son).
Late 20th Century:
 Nuclear family became more common.
 Number of children decreasing.
 Move from rural to urban life as farming became less labour intensive
due to technological advances, thus fewer workers needed.
 Generally people chose their own partners.
 Education becoming more important, resulting in fewer children leaving
school.
 After 1970 women were increasingly entering the workforce.
Contemporary Irish Family (nowadays):
 Increase in number of separations and divorces – introduction of new
family structures, e.g. blended families.
 Availability of contraception lets people plan the size of their families;
this has led to a decrease in the number of children born.
 Fewer marriages – cohabiting has increased and cost of marriages.
 More inter-racial partnerships due to rise in immigration.
 Both partners are working in most families, resulting in more
disposable income.
 Less role segregation with men becoming more involved in child rearing.
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 More state support e.g. financial assistance and educational help, e.g.
SNAs.
 Increase in social problems affecting the family, e.g. drug and alcohol
abuse.
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