Recipes for Systemic Change - Helsinki Design Lab

D2.2 FamiliesThe family is still the dominant social unit in Finland; however, contemporaryfamily life has changed from the traditional nuclear familymodel.There are 1.4 million families in Finland➢ 38.3% of the population is married➢ 42% of families include at least one child under the age eighteenIn size of families is shrinking➢ In 2008, the average family size was 2.81 down from 3.72 in 1950➢ 24% of children under the age eighteen are only childrenThe single-child family is becoming more commonAmong families with children under the age 18…61.7% married couples18.3% cohabitating / unmarried17.4% single mothers2.6% single fathersAmong families with children under the age 18…43% one child only38% two children5% four or more childrenFamily structure in Finland has changed over the past century, with anincrease in divorce➢ In 2008, there were 31,000 marriages and 13,400 divorces➢ 20% of families with children under the age eighteen are singleparenthomes➢ There are 54,000 “reconstituted” or combined families in Finland10% of all children under the age eighteen belong to a “reconstitutedfamily”➢ Finland supports working parents with maternity/paternity leavebenefits and childcare allowances.➢ More young children are spending more time in childcare settings.➢ In 2008, 63% of all one to six year-olds are enrolled in daycare, and56,600 children, nearly the entire eligible age group, are enrolled inpre-primary educationD2.3 HealthSimilar to other developed nations, the Finnish population is becominga more sedentary and physically less active one with notable health consequences.162