how family sizes and structures have changed

• allen et al (11) discuss the difficulties and complexities of step-families 
• a lack of shared experinces, family history, interest and commitments can challage new family structure 
• step parents need to negotiate parentl responsibility 
• step siblings may find it difficult to adjust to new family members 

• cohabiting families 
• lone parent families 
• single person households
• gay and lesbian marriages and households 
• duel-worker families 
• childless couple housholds 
• reconstituted families 
• extended families 
• nuclear families 
• living apart together (LAT's)- couples in seperate households 
• shared huseholds/families of choice
• conventional married couple families with thier own natural dependant children 

• different roles of men and women 
• class diversity 
• life cycle diversity 
• regional diversity 
• cultural diversity 

classic extended family- a family wherre several related nuclear families or family members live in the same house, street or area. it may be horizontally extended, where it conains aunts, uncles, cousins etc, or vertucally extended where it contains more than two generations 

 modified extended family- a family type where related nuclear families, although living apart geographically, nevertheless maintain regualr contat and mutual support through visiting, the phone, email, letters etc 

beanpole family- a mulit-generation extended family, in a pattern which is long and thin, with fewer aunts, uncles and cousins, reflecting fewer children beign born in each generation, and people living longer 

• seen by sociologys to have largely disappeaed in modern britain 
• replaced with isolated privatised nuclear family
• lane, spencer and McCready (12) found that the classic extended family is still in the followign communities 
• traditional working class families 
• south asian communities 

• technological advances allow families to stay in touch and maintain a close suport network 
• easy transportation has made it easier to see family members 
• some sociologists say the MEF is the most represented type of family in britain 

• brannan (03)- ageing population means women are more likely to persue higher educaion and careers means an emergence in the beanpole family 
• great grandparents -> grandparentd -> children -> grandchildren -> great grandchildren
• couples have less children= reduction in uncles, aunts and cousins 
• link to- free cares for elderly as gov does not have the finance for care homes, free childcare costs for mothers who need work
• how much would it cost the gov if they had to pay grandparents for looking after children? 

• social class diversity- different family types associated with different socail classes 
• regional diversity- all agve different demographics eg costal town have higher proportion of 65+
• singlehood- growth of younger generation living alone, women live longer then men, may elderly women living alone- divorece, life choices, reduction in social stigma, individualisation etc.
• adult kids- adult 'children' who still live at home with thier parents. generally over the age of 20
• kippers- kids in parent pockets. cheaper to live at home 
• clipped wing generation- connot afford to by or rent house after leaving full-time education