The Changing Face of the Modern Family Whitepaper

Families are the cornerstone of any society. Once defined as “people related by marriage, birth, consanguinity or legal adoption, who share a common kitchen and financial resources on a regular basis” - they are at their core, an ancient social group.

Over time however, family units have undergone radical changes in form and function.

Changes in economics, demographics, politics, declining fertility rates, increases in the participation of women in the workforce and evolution in societal attitudes towards marriage, divorce and cohabitation mean modern families are no longer made up of the traditional “nuclear” family of two married parents, living with their children.

Single, not sorry

Even the desire for partnerships is shifting. Tinder - the dating app with one of the largest, most diverse platforms - revealed in a survey, the majority of young millennials (72%) are making a conscious decision to be single instead of starting a family, valuing their freedom and independence.  

Almost all respondents (81%) said being single benefits them beyond their romantic lives - valuing making new friends, dedicating more time to their work and making more time for personal wellness.

Reports by the ONS also revealed that multi-family households (consisting of two or more families) were the fastest growing household type over the last two decades, seeing a growth in house-sharing (either as multi-generational families, alone or with one or more couples).  

An example of friends who become family?

Single-sex families

The legislation of gay marriage is also having an impact on changing family dynamics with the number of same-sex couple families in the UK increasing by 50% since 2015.

Although most children of same-sex couples are biological children of one of the parents, a growing number are a result of donor insemination, surrogacy, foster care or adoption.  

In fact, analysis by New Family Social, reveals single-sex couples adopting accounted for more than 1 in 6 of all adoptions in England in 2022 - this is the greatest proportion on record.

Pets vs Parenthood

Interestingly, a growing number of people are now choosing to add pets to their family - considering them surrogate children - so much so, Pope Francis felt compelled to send a message to married couples, asking them to raise children instead of cats and dogs.

As companion animals, pets are known to satisfy our psychological need for companionship, friendship, and unconditional love - and for many, fur babies are family.

Shift in Gender Roles

Changing family trends and patterns have been paralleled by changes in gender roles - especially with the expansion of the women’s role to that of an economic provider in the family; the transformation of the men’s role to include more involvement in family responsibilities and single-sex (and opposite-sex) couples raising children and expressing gender norms, according to how each unique individual identifies.

A recent study commissioned by the Equality and Human Rights Commission reveals the majority of modern parents no longer think about work and childcare in
“traditional” terms, believing both roles and responsibilities can be shared.

According to the Pew Research Centre analysis on Modern Parenthood, roles are converging, with fathers doing more housework and childcare - and mothers taking on more paid work, outside the home.

The equal division of childcare and housework amongst families has also proven to reduce parental stress, and increase relationship satisfaction - whilst an unequal division can lead to an exodus of women out of the labour force…

Attitudes are changing

Gender roles, values and attitudes have become more fluid, blurring the boundaries of family and work life as men and women see themselves increasingly as not only co-parents but also co-providers for their children.

The increasing shift in parental roles has been triggered by a series of demographic, socio-economic and cultural transformations that have occurred in the past several decades.  

The modern family is in a constant state of flux, adjusting and adapting itself to accommodate our contemporary and diverse society and culture.

Irrespective of its structural makeup, the most important function of a family is to meet the basic needs of each individual member - and provide a stable and supportive environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging, whether biologically, socially or legally.

Diversity in our families, like the diversity of our communities, simply makes our world better. 

This piece is part of our Modern Families campaign.  Read more about the wider campaign here.