Children in De Facto Relationships

Abstract

This paper compares the family situation of children living with de facto couples with that of children living with legally married couples and examines the attitudes of de facto couples toward having children. De facto couples with ex-nuptial children were in a less favourable socio-economic situation than either de facto couples with step children or married couples with children. Differences were also observed among de facto couples with and without ex-nuptial children and married couples in their attitudes toward having children ex-nuptially. However, de facto partners with children and married partners with children did not differ in their attitudes toward children.