This report is the first to present findings on the diverse living arrangements of children from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). Although many surveys collect information on the relationship of children to the householder, the SIPP is unique in that it records how each person is related to everyone else in the household. Beyond the nuclear family, we can determine, for example, whether a child lives with a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or cousin. Detailed information on parent-child relationships is also provided, allowing us to identify biological, step, foster, and adoptive ties. Similar data are collected for siblings. With this additional information, we now are able to examine family structure in more detail than was possible in previous Bureau of the Census reports. Topics discussed in this report include nuclear families, extended families (including multi-generational families), stepfamilies and adoption.

The statistics presented in this report are based on national-level estimates of children under 18 and their living situations, for the period June through September, 1991. The findings in this report pertain to all children, regardless of the child’s marital or parental status. Since this report is based on a sample survey, its results are subject to sampling variability. In particular, estimates for subgroups under 200,000 and small differences between groups should be interpreted with caution.