Grandparent families (FMGF)

Latest release
Census of Population and Housing: Census dictionary
Cite
Reference period
2021

Definition

This variable classifies families into different family types depending on the composition of the family. It differs from the standard Family composition (FMCF) variable because it recognises grandparent-grandchild relationships.

Grandparent families are recognised when there is a grandparent-grandchild relationship present and no parent-child relationship present in a family.

This variable can only be used with other related grandparent/grandchild variables. These variables are:

  • Child type (including grandchildren) (CTGP)
  • Relationship in household (including grandchildren) (RLGP)

It cannot be used with standard family variables.

Scope

Families with grandchildren

Categories

CodeCategory
1Couple family with grandchildren
11Couple family with grandchildren under 15 (with or without other children)
12Couple family with no grandchildren under 15 and with dependent student grandchildren (with or without other children)
13Couple family with no grandchildren under 15, no dependent student grandchildren and with non-dependent grandchildren (with or without other children)
2Lone grandparent
21Lone grandparent with grandchildren under 15 (with or without other children)
22Lone grandparent with no grandchildren under 15 and with dependent student grandchildren (with or without other children)
23Lone grandparent with no grandchildren under 15, no dependent student grandchildren and with non-dependent grandchildren (with or without other children)
@@Not applicable

Number of categories:

  • One digit level: 2
  • Two digit level: 7

Not applicable (@@) category comprises:

  • Families with no grandchildren
  • Non-family/non-classifiable households
  • Unoccupied private dwellings
  • Non-private dwellings
  • Migratory, off-shore and shipping SA1s

Question(s) from the Census form

What is the person’s relationship to Person 1/Person 2?

What is Person 2's relationship to Person 1?
What is Person 2's relationship to Person 1? Examples of other relationships: Son-in-law, Grand-daughter, Uncle, Boarder. More information Husband or wife of Person 1 De facto partner of Person 1 Child of Person 1 Stepchild of Person 1 Brother or sister of Person 1 Unrelated flatmate or co-tenant of Person 1 Other relationship to Person 1 (please specify)

More information

Additional information relating to the question on: What is Person 2's relationship to Person 1?
What is Person 2's relationship to Person 1? Examples of other relationships: Son-in-law, Grand-daughter, Uncle, Boarder. More information If more than one response applies, select only the option that shows the relationship that most closely applies.

What is the person’s date of birth and age?

What is the person’s date of birth and age?
What is Person 1's date of birth? If date of birth is not known, please select 'Don't know date of birth' and provide Person 1's age. More information Day Month Year OR Don't know date of birth Age

More information

Additional information relating to the question: What is the person’s date of birth and age?
What is Person 1's date of birth? If date of birth is not known, please select 'Don't know date of birth' and provide Person 1's age. More information It is important to note: •Date of birth is the date that the person was born. •Age is required only if the person's date of birth is not known. Please report age at Census night – Tuesday 10 August 2021. If the person is less than one year old and their date of birth is not known, enter '0' in the age box.

Is Person 1 attending a school or any other education institution?

Is Person 1 attending a school or any other education institution?
Is Person 1 attending a school or any other education institution? Include tertiary education and vocational education and training providers (e.g. TAFE and private training providers). Include external, online or correspondence study. More information No Yes, full-time student Yes, part-time student

More information

Additional information relating to the question: Is Person 1 attending a school or any other education institution?
Is Person 1 attending a school or any other education institution? Include tertiary education and vocational education and training providers (e.g. TAFE and private training providers). Include external, online or correspondence study. More information Select full-time student or part-time student based on whether the institution considers the person to be a full-time or part-time student. For a person who attends only hobby or recreational courses, select 'No'. If the person is currently studying at home because of lockdowns or other COVID-related reasons, but usually attends a school or other education institution, select one of the 'Yes' options.

For each person away, complete the following questions:

The Census asks a number of questions for usual residents who were temporarily absent on Census night, these are known as persons temporarily absent (PTA) questions. The PTA questions below are used to derive this variable.

List the people who were away on the night of Tuesday 10 August 2021 but usually live in this dwelling.
List the people who were away on the night of Tuesday 10 August 2021 but usually live in this dwelling. Remember that people listed here will need to complete a Census form for where they were in Australia on Census night. People away List Person Away 1 - Any person who usually lives in this dwelling, but was away. Add another person away
Grandparent families example - Person 4 Surname
List the people who were away on the night of Tuesday 10 August 2021 but usually live in this dwelling. Remember that people listed here will need to complete a Census form for where they were in Australia on Census night. People away Person 4 Surname - Any person who usually lives in this dwelling, but was away. Add another person away
What is Person 4's date of birth?
What is Person 4's date of birth? If date of birth is not known, please give age. More information Date of birth Day Month Year OR Age

More information

Additional information relating to the question on: What is Person 4's date of birth?
What is Person 4's date of birth? If date of birth is not known, please give age. More information It is important to note: • Date of birth is the date that the person was born. • Age is required only if the person's date of birth is not known. Please report age at Census night – Tuesday 10 August 2021. If the person is less than one year old and their date of birth is not known, enter '0' in the age box.
Is Person 4 a full-time student?
Is Person 4 a full-time student? More information No Yes

More information

Additional information relating to the question on: Is Person 4 a full-time student?
Is Person 4 a full-time student? More information Select 'Yes' if the institution considers the person to be a full-time student. Select 'No' if the institution considers the person to be a part-time student. For a person who attends only hobby or recreational courses, select 'No'. For a child who attends a preschool or preschool program (including early childhood education and centre based day care providers): • Select 'Yes' if they attend at least 15 hours a week on average. • Select 'No' if they attend less than 15 hours a week on average.
What is Person 4's relationship to Person 1/Person 2?
What is Person 4's relationship to Person 1/Person 2? Examples of other relationships: Son-in-law, Grand-daughter, Uncle, Boarder. More information Husband or wife of Person 1 De facto partner of Person 1 Child of both Person 1 and Person 2 Child of Person 1 only Child of Person 2 only Unrelated flatmate or co-tenant of Person 1 Other relationship to Person 1 (please specify)

More information

Additional information relating to the question on: What is Person 4's relationship to Person 1/Person 2?
What is Person 4's relationship to Person 1/Person 2? Examples of other relationships: Son-in-law, Grand-daughter, Uncle, Boarder. More information If more than one response applies, select the option that shows the relationship that most closely applies.

How this variable is created

This variable is created using responses to the relationship in household, age, attendance at an education institution and persons temporarily absent (PTA) questions on the Census form.

It only counts families where there is a grandparent-grandchild relationship present and no parent-child relationship present in a family. All other families are coded to not applicable.

When classifying families into different grandparent family types the following information is used:

  • Relationship in household (including grandchildren) (RLGP) variable for family members present in the household on Census Night
  • PTA questions for family members who were temporarily absent from the household on Census Night

The table below shows how grandparent-grandchild relationships are coded differently between the Grandparent families (FMGF) and the standard Family composition (FMCF) variable.

Scenario

How it would be coded in FMGF

How it would be coded in FMCF

Grandparents who are a couple with a grandchild under 15 years old

11 Couple family with grandchildren under 15 (with or without other children)

2 Couple family with children

Grandparents who are a couple with a grandchild who is a dependent student (aged 15-24 years)

12 Couple family with no grandchildren under 15 and with dependent student grandchildren (with or without other children)

1 Couple family with no children

Grandparents who are a couple with a non-dependent grandchild

13 Couple family with no grandchildren under 15, no dependent student and with non-dependent grandchildren (with or without other children)

2 Couple family with no children

Lone grandparent with a grandchild under 15 years old

21 Lone grandparent with grandchildren under 15 (with or without other children)

3 One parent family

Lone grandparent with a grandchild who is a dependent student (aged 15-24 years)

22 Lone grandparent with no grandchildren under 15 and with dependent student grandchildren (with or without other children)

3 One parent family

Lone grandparents with a non-dependent grandchild

23 Lone grandparent with no grandchildren under 15, no dependent student grandchildren and with non-dependent grandchildren (with or without other children)

9 Other family

History and changes

This variable was first introduced in 2011 to enable grandparent families to be identified more easily within the data.

No changes have been made for 2021.

Data use considerations

During Census family coding, all children under 15 years of age are allocated a nominal parent if their parent/s are not present in the household on Census Night, or if the parent/s were not reported as temporarily absent. Nominal parents can be the child's sibling, grandparent, aunt/uncle or other related individuals.

Grandparent families are recognised where a grandparent/s is allocated as the nominal parent or where there is only a grandparent-grandchild relationship present in the family (and no parent-child relationship). When a parent is temporarily absent from the family and their relationship to the child cannot be determined, the relationship cannot be coded. This can result in a small number of children being reported incorrectly as grandchildren when a parent is simply absent on Census Night.

This variable does not have a non-response rate as it is created during Census processing by using responses from more than one question on the Census form.

Related variables and glossary terms

  • Child type (including grandchildren) (CTGP)
  • Relationship in household (including grandchildren) (RLGP)
  • Family

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