AQA Sociology AS: Changing Family Patterns-Step Families

> 10% of all families with dependent children in Britain

> 86% of them have children from mothers previous relationship

> 3% have children from both partners

>Ferri and Smith (1998) found that step families are just like nuclear families in respects to major roles

>face more risks of poverty

>McCarty et al stated that we cannot generalise all step families

As step families are formed when lone parents form new partnerships, a reason for the increase in step families are > increased divorce rates and separation

Some of the tensions faced by step families may be the result of lack of clear social norms about how individuals should behave in such families