Grandparents to play bigger role raising children

CHILDREN will increasingly be looked after by grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings as the nuclear family breaks down, according to a British report published yesterday.

Meanwhile, as the population ages, caring for the elderly will be one of the top concerns for families, says the study by the Family and Parenting Institute.

The organisation’s chief executive, Dr Katherine Rake, said the role of fathers would continue to change.

She said: “Mothers have been at the forefront of social change over the last few decades as they have moved in unprecedented numbers into paid work.

“But in the next decade it will be men. This will open up more opportunities than ever before for men to get involved in family life – the question then is, how will they respond?

“The report highlights the importance of fathers and mothers both being involved with their children whether they are together or apart.

“Increases in co-habitation and the decrease in marriages means children living apart from fathers at some time in their lives will be increasingly common.

“But other members of the family, like grandparents, will be important too to provide continuity.”

The report, called Family Trends, found that between the 1970s and 2000, men spent 200% more time playing with their children.

Time devoted to childcare for married fathers in full-time employment with children under five rose from 0.4 hours per day in 1960 to 1.2 by 2000.

Fathers found the time to do this because they gave up on personal pursuits and tried to cut down on work.

Women are having babies later. In 1971, the average at their first child’s birth was 23.7 years, now it is 27.5.

Families are much smaller. Women now have 1.95 children, on average, compared to 2.95 in 1964.

More women are working – 70% of mothers will be working in 2010.

The percentage of children living in a “couple relationship” fell from 92% in 1972 to 77% in 2008.

Approximately one in four children are being brought up by single parents compared with one in 14 in 1972.

People aged 65 or older accounted for 11% of the British population in 1951. By 2031 it is predicted to have risen to 23%.

Dr Rake said: “The ageing population will have a profound effect on family policy. The greying population may want to work and at the same time they are increasingly expected to provide childcare.

“But, as they get more frail, they will need more and more care with fewer and fewer younger people to provide it.”