6224.0.55.001 - Labour Force, Australia: Labour Force Status and Other Characteristics of Families, June 2015 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 29/08/2016   
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ONE PARENT FAMILIES

In June 2015, there were 970,800 one parent families making up 15% of all families; a rise of 58,600 since 2012. Almost two-thirds of these one parent families (64%) had dependants living with them. (Table 1)

Graph Image for ONE PARENT FAMILIES, Employment status-By age group of youngest child, 2015

Footnote(s): *Couple families without dependants, but with children 15 years or over

Source(s): ONE PARENT FAMILIES, Employment status-By age group of youngest child, 2015-6224_0_JUNE_2015_GRAPH_4

ONE PARENT FAMILIES WITH DEPENDANTS

In June 2015, there were 617,800 one parent families with dependants (including children under 15); the vast majority (84%) were single mother families. Of all one parent families with children and dependants, 55% had a youngest dependant aged 0–9 years. (Tables 1, 9)

There were 361,700 one parent families with an employed parent with children and dependants in June 2015. Of these families 290,700 had an employed single mother and 71,000 had an employed single father. In one parent families with dependants, 56% of mothers were employed, compared with 71% of fathers. (Tables 1,9)

Employment among one parent families generally increased with the age of the youngest dependant, from 37% (youngest dependant under 5 years old) to 73% (youngest dependant 15–24 years old). (Table 9)

Graph Image for ONE PARENT FAMILIES, Employment status-By sex and age of youngest child, 2015

Source(s): ONE PARENT FAMILIES, Employment status-By sex and age of youngest child, 2015-6224_0_JUNE_2015_GRAPH_5