In 1992 there were 2.1 million families with children aged under 15. Family size varied according to family type. The average number of children in a couple family with children was 1.9 while the average number of children in a one parent family was 1.6. Children living in de facto couple families were likely to be younger than those living in registered married couple families. Step families are couple families with only one natural parent of the children present.
Blended families are couple families with both natural and step children.
Blended families occur when partners with children from a previous relationship form a new relationship and have children together. As children grow older, the chance of them living with both their natural parents decreases. Children living in extended families were older than those living in nuclear families. In 1992-93, there were 783 adoptions in Australia. Most adoptees were children aged under 15 and two-thirds of these were under 5 years old.