Household%20and%20family%20characteristics

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Household and family characteristics
UNECE Training Workshop on Census Questionnaire
Design for SPECA member countries (Dushanbe,
12-16 March 2007)

• Paolo Valente (UNECE)

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Content of presentation

• 1) Main concepts and definitions
• Private households
• Institutional households
• The homeless
• Family
• Couple
• Child
• Reconstituted family

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Content of presentation

• 2) Measurement of characteristics
• Relationships between household members
• Approach 1) Relationship to the reference person
• Approach 2) Household relationship matrix
• How to identify reconstituted families
• Derived topics and classifications on FH
• Tenure status of households (core topic)
• Other non-core topics on households

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Main concepts and definitionsPrivate household

• Two alternative concepts for private household
• Housekeeping concept is recommended
• A private household is either
• a) A one-person household, that is a person who
  lives alone in a separate housing unit or who
  occupies, as a lodger, a separate room (or rooms)
  of a housing unit but does not join with any of
  the other occupants of the housing unit to form
  part of a multi-person household or
• b) A multi-person household, that is a group of
  two or more persons who combine to occupy the
  whole or part of a housing unit and to provide
  themselves with food and possibly other
  essentials for living. Members of the group may
  pool their incomes to a greater or lesser extent.

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Main concepts and definitionsPrivate household

• Housekeeping concept ? in 1 housing unit
  there could be more than 1 private households

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Main concepts and definitionsPrivate household

• Alternative approach Household-dwelling
  concept
• All persons living in a housing unit are
  considered members of the same household
• ?There is one household per occupied housing unit
• ? N. of occupied housing units N. of households
• Approach normally used by countries that CANNOT
  use housekeeping concept (i.e. register-based
  censuses)

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Main concepts and definitionsPrivate household

• Q. What is the difference in the results
  depending on the two approaches?

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Main concepts and definitionsPrivate household

• Q. What is the difference in the results
  depending on the two approaches?
• A. Number of households will be larger when the
  housekeeping approach is adopted

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Main concepts and definitionsPrivate household

• Q. What is the difference in the results
  depending on the two approaches?
• A. Number of households will be larger when the
  housekeeping approach is adopted
• The difference may not be very significant for
  the total number of households, but
• ? It may be relatively important for certain
  household types, like one-person households!

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Main concepts and definitionsPrivate household

• Summing up, for next census
• Recommended use of
• Housekeeping concept
• ?For international comparability, if possible
  estimate number of private households according
  to Household-dwelling concept, by household
  size

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Main concepts and definitionsPrivate household

• Q.1 What approach did you follow in the last
  census, and what do you plan for the next census?

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Main concepts and definitionsPrivate household

• Q.1 What approach did you follow in the last
  census, and what do you plan for the next census?
• Q.2 If you plan to follow the housekeeping
  unit approach, could you estimate the number of
  private households according to
  Household-dwelling concept?

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Main concepts and definitionsInstitutional
household

• Definition An institutional household comprises
  persons whose need for shelter and subsistence
  are provided by an institution
• An institution is a legal body for the purpose of
  long-term inhabitation and provision of services
  to a group of persons
• Institutions usually have common facilities
  shared by the occupants (baths, lounges, eating
  facilities, dormitories and so forth)

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Main concepts and definitionsInstitutional
household

• Main categories
• (1)    Residences for students
• (2)    Hospitals, establishments for the
  disabled, psychiatric institutions, old peoples
  homes etc.
• (3)    Assisted living facilities and welfare
  institutions including those for the homeless
• (4)    Military barracks
• (5)    Correctional and penal institutions
• (6)    Religious institutions and
• (7)    Worker dormitories.

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Main concepts and definitionsInstitutional
household

• IMPORTANT!!! ? People who are normally members
  of private households but who are living in
  institutions are considered as members of
  institutional households if their actual or
  expected absence from a private household isMORE
  THAN ONE YEAR (general one-year rule for
  determiningplace of usual residence)

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Main concepts and definitionsInstitutional
household

• Attention!!!
• ? There could be private households living in the
  premises of the institution!
• EXAMPLE Employee of the institution living
  alone or with the family ? Its still a PRIVATE
  household
• Its important to distinguish these private
  households from the population of institutional
  households
• ? Useful tool Living quarters validation
  instrument
• Short questionnaire to identify nature and
  functions of institution, and presence of private
  households

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Main concepts and definitionsThe homeless

• Some persons do not live in private or
  institutional households the homeless
• Phenomenon always existed in almost all
  countries, but INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT in many
  countries because
• 1) Increasing number of homeless people
• 2) Increasing attention to their problems and
  needs

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Main concepts and definitionsThe homeless

• ?Objection It is VERY DIFFICULT to count
  homeless people in a census
• however
• 1) Goal of the census is to count ALL PEOPLE who
  meet the one-year residence rule, INCLUDING
  HOMELESS
• 2) The census provides an opportunity to collect
  detailed information on this population group

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Main concepts and definitionsThe homeless

• ? Not only it is very difficult to COUNT
  homeless, but it is even difficultto GIVE A
  DEFINITION of homeless
• The definition could vary across countries,
  because of cultural differences and different
  perceptions

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Main concepts and definitionsThe homeless

• CES Census Recommendations (para. 608)
• A homeless person can be broadly defined as a
  person who, because of the lack of housing, has
  no other option than to sleep
• a) Rough or in buildings which were not designed
  for human habitation
• b)  In emergency centres, or night shelters
• c)  In emergency accommodation in hotels, guest
  houses or bed and breakfast
• d)  In hospitals due to a lack of decent shelter
  or
• e) In accommodation temporarily provided by
  friends or relatives because of the lack of a
  permanent place to stay.

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Main concepts and definitionsThe homeless

• CES Census Recommendations (para. 491)
• Two categories of homelessness can be considered
• 1) Primary homelessness Persons living in the
  street without a shelter that falls within the
  scope of living quarters (housing unit or
  collective living quarter)
• 2) Secondary homelessness Persons with no place
  of usual residence who move frequently between
  various types of accommodations (including
  dwellings, institutions for the homeless or other
  living quarters). Includes persons living in
  private dwellings but reporting no usual
  address on their census form.

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Main concepts and definitionsFamily

• CES Census Recommendations
• A family nucleus is defined as two or more
  persons who live in the same household and who
  are related as
• 1) husband and wife, or
• 2) cohabiting partners, or
• 3) marital (registered) same-sex couple, or
• 4) parent and child.

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Main concepts and definitionsFamily

• CES Census Recommendations
• Thus a FAMILY comprises
• a) a couple without children, or
• b) a couple with one or more children, or
• c) a lone parent with one or more children.
• ? NEW in 2010 CES Rec. Countries may also
  include skip generation households, consisting
  of grandparent(s) and one or more
  grandchild(ren), but no parent of those
  grandchildren is present.

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Main concepts and definitionsCouple

• CES Census Recommendations
• The term COUPLE includes
• a) married couples,
• b) registered couples, and
• c) couples who live in a consensual union.
• ? Partners in consensual union
• - Have usual residence in the same household
• - Are not married to each other
• - Have a marriage-like relationship to each other

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Main concepts and definitionsChild

• CES Census Recommendations
• CHILD refers to a blood, step- or adopted son or
  daughter (regardless of age or marital status)
  who has usual residence in the household of at
  least one of the parents, and who has no partner
  or own child(ren) in the same household.
• ? NEW in 2010 CES Rec. Grandsons and
  granddaughters who have usual residence in the
  household of at least one grandparent while there
  are no parents present may also be included.

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Main concepts and definitionsReconstituted
family

• CES Census Recommendations
• A RECONSTITUTED FAMILY is a family consisting of
  a married or cohabiting couple or a marital
  (registered) same-sex couple, with one or more
  children, where at least one child is a
  non-common child, that is the child of only one
  member of the couple.
• ? NEW in 2010 CES Rec. If the other partner
  adopts the child of one partner later, the
  resulting family is no longer a reconstituted
  family.

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Main concepts and definitionsReconstituted
family

• CES Census Recommendations
• A RECONSTITUTED FAMILY is a family consisting of
  a married or cohabiting couple or a marital
  (registered) same-sex couple, with one or more
  children, where at least one child is a
  non-common child, that is the child of only one
  member of the couple.
• ? NEW in 2010 CES Rec. If the other partner
  adopts the child of one partner later, the
  resulting family is no longer a reconstituted
  family.

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Measurement of characteristicsRelationships
between household members

• Very important CORE topic
• Allows mapping household structure, identifying
  family nuclei and different types of households
• Many derived topics and classifications,
  including household status and family status

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Measurement of characteristicsRelationships
between household members

• Two alternative approaches
• 1) Relationship to reference person
• Traditional approach
• 2) Household relationship matrix
• Innovative approach (new in 2010 CES Census Rec.)

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Measurement of characteristicsRelationships
between household members

• 1) Relationship to reference person For each
  household member, the relationship to the
  reference person is recorded
• Important issues
• Who should be selected as reference person?
• Which relationships should be considered?

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Measurement of characteristicsRelationships
between household members

• 1) Relationship to reference person
• Q. Who should be selected as reference person?

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Measurement of characteristicsRelationships
between household members

• 1) Relationship to reference person
• Q. Who should be selected as reference person?
• Following approaches are NOT recommended
• 1) The head of the household ? Not appropriate
• 2) The oldest person ? Not suitable for
  multi-generational households better a person
  from the middle generation
• 3) The person with the highest income ? Not
  necessarily the person with broadest range of kin
  relationships

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Measurement of characteristicsRelationships
between household members

• 1) Relationship to reference person
• Q. Who should be selected as reference person?
• A. Criterion the person assuring the broadest
  range of kin relationships, in this order
• 1) The husband or the wife (if there is a married
  couple)
• 2) One of the two partner (if there is a
  consensual union)
• 3) The parent (if there is a one-parent family)
• 4) Any adult member (in all other cases)
• ? In 2000 census round, in half of ECE
  countries, the household members choose and adult
  member as RP

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Measurement of characteristicsRelationships
between household members

• 1) Relationship to reference person
• Relationships (recommended classification)
• (1.0) Reference person (RP)
• (2.0) RPs spouse
• (3.0) RPs partner in consensual union
  (cohabiting partner)
• (4.0) Child of RP and/or of husband/wife/cohabiti
  ng partner
• (5.0) Husband/wife or cohabiting partner of
  child of RP
• (6.0) Father or mother of RP, of spouse, or of
  cohabiting partner of RP
• (7.0) Other relative of RP, of spouse, or of
  cohabiting partner of RP
• (8.0) Non-relative of RP

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Measurement of characteristicsRelationships
between household members

• 2) Household relationship matrix For each
  household member, the relationship to ALL other
  members are recorded
• Relationships (recommended classification)
• (1.0) Other person's husband or wife
• (2.0) Other person's partner in consensual union
  (cohabiting partner)
• (3.0) Other person's child
• (4.0) Other person's father or mother
• (5.0) Other person's other relative
• (6.0) Non-relative of other person

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Measurement of characteristicsRelationships
between household members
Example of Household relationship matrixUnited
Kingdom 2001 Census form (1/2)
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Measurement of characteristicsRelationships
between household members
Example of Household relationship matrixUnited
Kingdom 2001 Census form (2/2)
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Measurement of characteristicsRelationships
between household members

• 2) Household relationship matrix This approach
  potentially provides the most accurate
  information and allows mapping ALL household
  structures, including the most complex ones
• HOWEVER
• Some countries had problems due toits
  complicated character!!!

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Measurement of characteristicsRelationships
between household members

• 2) Household relationship matrix Some reduced
  versions of the method (less complicate) could be
  considered
• Examples
• Limit the matrix to certain members of the
  households (i.e. the adults, or the children)
• Collect information only on selected
  relationships ? Indicate for each household
  member the n. of mother or father (some CIS
  countries)

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Measurement of characteristicsRelationships
between household members

• 2) Household relationship matrix
• ? It is very important to TEST the method
  accurately before the census
• ? If the test is OK and the method is feasible,
  then this is the recommended approach

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Measurement of characteristicsRelationships
between household members

• Summing up
• 1) Relationship to reference person
• PRO Relatively easy to implement
• CON Provides limited information for complex
  households
• 2) Household relationship matrix
• PRO Provides complete information
• CON Could be complicate to implement
• ? Needs to be carefully tested!!!

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Measurement of characteristicsHow to identify
reconstituted families

• Reminder A RECONSTITUTED FAMILY is a couple
  with one or more children, where at least one
  child is a non-common child, that is the child
  of only one member of the couple

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Measurement of characteristicsHow to identify
reconstituted families

• Four different approaches can be used, using
  different information
• a) Household relationship matrix
• b) PARTIAL household relationship matrix
• Ask only to children information on relationship
  to all adults in the household

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Measurement of characteristicsHow to identify
reconstituted families

• c) Relationship to reference person, including
• (4.1) Child of both the RP and his/her
  spouse/partner
• (4.2) Child of reference person only
• (4.3) Child of the reference persons
  spouse/partner only
• ? Does not work when RP is not parent of
  reconstituted fam.!
• d) Birth dates - Based on matching between
• Birth dates of all children present in the
  household, and
• Birth dates of all natural children ever-born to
  each adult member of the household
• ? Normally used in countries with register-based
  censuses

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Measurement of characteristicsDerived topics
and classifications

• There are various topics that are DERIVED
  fromRelationships between household membersand
  other variables (marital status, age, etc.)
• Details and classifications can be found in the
  CES Census Recommendations

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Measurement of characteristicsDerived topics
and classifications

• Main topics
• Characteristics of PERSONS
• Household status (CORE topic)
• Family status (CORE topic)
• Characteristics of FAMILY NUCLEI
• Type of family nucleus (CORE topic)
• Type of reconstituted family (non core topic)
• Size of family nucleus (CORE topic)
• Characteristics of PRIVATE HOUSEHOLDS
• Type of private household (CORE topic)
• Size of private household (CORE topic)

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Measurement of characteristicsTenure status of
households

• It refers to the arrangement under which a
  private household occupies all or part of a
  housing unit
• Recommended classification
• (1.0) Households of which a member is the owner
  of the housing unit
• (2.0) Households of which a member is a tenant of
  all or part of the housing unit
• (3.0) Households occupying all or part of a
  housing unit under some other form of tenure

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Measurement of characteristicsOther non-core
topics

• Single or shared occupancy of the dwelling
• Rent
• Durable consumer goods possessed by the household
  (electrical appliances, TV, PC)
• Number of cars available for the use of the
  household
• Availability of car parking
• Telephone and internet connection