Slow change for family relationships

Some social changes happen very slowly. A UK survey tells us that still only half of children in separated families have regular, at least fortnightly, contact with their non-resident parent.

The true impact of separation on the wellbeing of children is much greater than this.” Family lawyer, Nick Gova

The UK Government’s Department of Work and Pensions uses Understanding Society‘s two-yearly survey of 40,000 families to collect data on family relationship stress and satisfaction.

Small positive trends show a bit less distress in couple-parent families and a bit more contact for children with their separated parent.

Using the same UK Household Longitudinal Study other child-focused studies have assessed the mental health of the children at age 5 and 8 in relation to the different “trajectories” of family parental pattern. Family stability and resources are important factors in well-being:

Not all types of family complexity or instability appear to be equally detrimental to children’s mental health.

For gradual changes in society minor trends shown by painstaking research is what to expect.