The Future of Families to 2030

Since the 1960s the family in the OECD area has undergone significant
transformation. In many countries, the extended family has all but
disappeared, and the traditional two-parent family has become much less
widespread as divorce rates, re-marriages, cohabitation, single parenthood and
same-sex partnerships have all increased. With rising migration, cultures and
values have become more diverse, with some ethnic minorities evolving as
parallel family cultures while others intermingle with mainstream cultures
through mixed-race marriages. Families have seen more mothers take up work in
the labour market, their adolescents spend longer and longer in education and
training, and the elderly members of the family live longer and, increasingly,
alone. The repercussions of these changes on housing, pensions, health and
long-term care, on labour markets, education and public finances, have been
remarkable. Recent demographic projections perfromed by many OECD countries
suggest that the next 20 years are likely to see a continuation and even
acceleration of changes in household and family structures. In particular, the
numbers and shares of single-adult and single-parent households are expected
to increase significantly, as is the number of couples without children.

This report explores likely future changes in family and household structures
in OECD countries; identifies what appear to be the main forces shaping the
family landscape between now and 2030; discusses the longer-term challenges
for policy arising from those expected changes; and on the basis of the three
subsequent thematic chapters, suggests policy options for managing the
challenges on a sustainable basis.