beanpole families

• . Bean Pole Families 

  . Brannen -modern family structure resembles a beanpole as is longer and thinner. Brannen describes a recent emergence of four-generational families-families - include great grandparents and great grandchildren.Beanpole families-term used to describe two or more generations living in the same household or close to one another. Theyre less likely to experience horizontal intergenerational ties (have fewer aunts, uncles and cousins),are now more likely to experience vertical intergenerational ties,( that is, closer ties with grand-parents and great grandparents. )
• Reasons for rise in bean pole families

  • Life Expectancy
  • Decline in Fertility
  • Divorce & Lone Parenthood
• Life Expectancy


  Improved health, longevity, and affluence means that many people past retirement age can enjoy an active and relatively healthy third age of time
• Increased life expectancy


  Grandparents play an increased role in the care of grandchildren, particularly as more women work nowadays
• 61% of grandparents see their grandchildren once a week
• Increased life expectancy


  Middle aged women are the sandwich generation, looking after their own children and their elderly parents due to the increased need for care for elderly relatives whose health may be failing
• Decline in Fertility


  Birth rates in Britain have dropped, the average age of a mother has been increasing since the mid 1970's and reached a record high of 30.7 years in 2019 and 2020
• The Total Fertility Rate in 2021 was 1.61 children per woman
• Decline in fertility rate

  Growth of feminism and the subsequent emancipation and empowerment of women and the progression of their rights
• Decline in fertility rate


  Women now see other possibilities in life apart from the traditional expressive role of housewife
• The average cost of a child until the age of 21 was £227,000
• Increased cost of raising a child

  Women use a growing variety of contraceptive methods to control their fertility and delay having their family
• Divorce & Lone Parenthood


  • Changes in legislation, such as the Divorce Reform Act introducing no-fault divorce
  • Modernism with its emphasis on individuality raises expectations of personal satisfaction
  • Decline in the stigma towards divorce and lone parent families
• Rising divorce rates


  Some children may be part of more than one family and divorced parents may have to move back in with their parents due to economic reasons
• Lone parents


  May require support from grandparents with childcare due to the high cost of housing and mortgage deposits
• Reasons for rise in bean pole families

  . Life Expectancy 

  • Blaikie-improved health, longevity, and affluence means that many people past retirement age can enjoy an active and relatively healthy third age of time-grandparents play an increased role in the care of grandchildren, strong intergenerational ties between generations
  • middle aged women are the sandwich generation, looking after their own children and their elderly parents due to increased need for care for elderly relatives.Blaikie refers to this period of time as the 'fourth age'. #
• Decline in Fertility 


  • Generations living longer and are fewer in each generation. Average of a mum been increasing - growth of feminism and emancipation and empowerment and progression of their rights.

  Wilkinson, there has been a 'genderquake' as women no longer prioritise marriage and children, especially female graduates. The Centre for Economic and Business Research found that the average cost of a child until the age of 21 was £227,000 - led use a growing variety of contraceptive methods to control fertility and delay having family.
• Divorce & Lone Parenthood 

  • changes in legislation. Individuality raises expectations of personal satisfaction. Decline in stigma . Rising divorce rates increase bean pole families as kids may be part of more than one family and divorced parents may have to move back in with parents due to economic reasons, lone parents require grandparent support with childcare. - high cost of housing ,average cost of a child until the age of 21 was £227,000 (cited in Osborne, 2014).