Table 3.7 examines the variation in the proportion of dependent children living in different types of family. In 2001, 77% of dependent children lived in a married or cohabiting couple family and 23% in a lone parent family compared with 88% and 12% respectively in 1981.

Twenty-four percent of dependent children were the only dependent child in their family in 2001 compared with 18% in 1972.