Family formation in multi-cultural Britain: three patterns of diversity

The family structures of ethnic minority groups in Britain are compared with those of the white population. Caribbeans’ low rates of marriage and high rates of single parenthood are characterised as adopting ‘modern individualism’. South Asians’ high rates of marriage are characterised as adhering to ‘old-fashioned values’. Even among Asians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis stand out in terms of low rates of economic activity among women, and large family sizes. All groups are moving in the same direction: Caribbeans ahead of the white trend, South Asians behind it. Some of the patterns observed are associated with child poverty. Non-technical summary Patterns of family life have become increasingly diverse over the past thirty years among white people in Britain and other North European countries. Family relationships are said to be moving away from “old fashioned values” towards “modern individualism”. Different minorities are strongly represented at both ends of the spectrum. The key feature of family life in the Caribbean community is the low rate of marriage. Caribbeans are less likely to live with a partner than white people; those who have a partner are less likely to have married them; those who have married are more likely to separate or divorce. Among British-born Caribbeans, half of men with a partner live with a white woman; a third of women with a partner live with a white man. The rate of mixed partnership is increasing rapidly for men (though not for women). 1 This paper was written as part of the ESRC-funded programme of the Research Centre on Micro-Social Change at the Institute for Social and Economic Research. It was originally presented to a conference on Social Change and Minority Ethnic Groups organised by the Centre for Research on Elections and Social Trends (CREST). Thanks to John Haskey, Tariq Modood and Karen Rowlingson for extended and valuable comments on a draft.