Families and Communities: Diversity, Change and Support
Core concepts
Candidates must understand family structures and types - nuclear, extended, blended, sole-parent, same-sex-parented, adoptive, foster, communal and childless - and recognise that no structure is inherently better. Discuss family functions: physical, emotional, economic, socialising, protective and reproductive, and how these are shared or redistributed.
Understand change over the life course and the family life cycle, including transitions such as marriage, parenting, separation, repartnering, children leaving home, retirement and bereavement. Explain factors causing family change: technology, workforce participation, legislation, migration, cultural values and economic pressures.
Know the concept of community - geographic, interest-based and virtual - and the support networks available: informal (kin, friends, neighbours) and formal (government, NGOs, health and education services). Understand community resources, accessibility, equity and the role of advocacy in addressing disadvantage.
Traps to avoid
- Judging family types against a nuclear-family norm.
- Describing change without explaining its effects on roles, resources and wellbeing.
- Treating all communities as geographic; virtual and interest communities matter.
- Ignoring barriers to accessing support: cost, transport, stigma, language, eligibility.
Worked example / rule of thumb
If asked how a community can support ageing residents, map informal supports (family visits, neighbour networks) against formal ones (home care, transport, social programs), then evaluate accessibility and equity. Rule of thumb: structure → function → change → support → evaluate.
Exam technique
Anchor general points in a named scenario and refer explicitly to equity and wellbeing outcomes.