Table 1 Child demographic characteristics
| Â | Â | Number of children (%) | Â |
|---|---|---|---|
Child demographic characteristics | All children (n = 500)a | With male parent/s (n = 91) | With female parent/s (n = 400) |
Gender | |||
 Male | 264 (53) | 49 (54) | 214 (54) |
 Female | 230 (46) | 40 (44) | 182 (46) |
Mean age, years | 5.12 | 3.86 | 5.43 |
Median age, years | 4 | 2 | 4 |
Age range, years | 0-17 | 0-16 | 0-17 |
Geographical location | |||
 Inner metropolitan | 261 (52) | 64 (70) | 195 (49) |
 Outer metropolitan | 123 (25) | 10 (11) | 106 (27) |
 Regional center | 69 (14) | 3 (3) | 66 (17) |
 Rural | 35 (7) | 8 (9) | 27 (7) |
 Remote | 1 (<1) | 0 (0) | 1 (<1) |
 Other | 8 (2) | 3 (3) | 5 (1) |
State | |||
 Victoria | 244 (48) | 41 (45) | 196 (49) |
 New South Wales | 89 (18) | 26 (29) | 63 (16) |
 Queensland | 74 (15) | 3 (3) | 71 (18) |
 Western Australia | 30 (6) | 6 (7) | 24 (6) |
 South Australia | 26 (5) | 6 (7) | 18 (5) |
 Australian Capital Territory | 23 (5) | 6 (7) | 17 (4) |
 Tasmania | 14 (3) | 3 (3) | 11 (3) |
Country of birth | |||
 Australia | 427 (85) | 31 (34) | 387 (97) |
 India | 36 (7) | 36 (40) | 0 (0) |
 USA | 21 (4) | 20 (22) | 1 (<1) |
 UK | 6 (1) | 0 (0) | 6 (2) |
 New Zealand | 2 (<1) | 1 (1) | 1 (<1) |
 Thailand | 1 (<1) | 1 (1) | 0 (0) |
 Other | 7 (1) | 2 (2) | 5 (1) |
Language | |||
 English only | 444 (89) | 65 (71) | 374 (93) |
 Language other than English | 56 (11) | 26 (29) | 26 (7) |
Index parent’s highest level of education | |||
 4 years high school | 8 (2) | 0 (0) | 8 (2) |
 Year 12 | 28 (6) | 7 (8) | 21 (5) |
 Diploma or certificate | 77 (15) | 11 (12) | 61 (15) |
 Undergraduate degree | 133 (27) | 33 (36) | 98 (25) |
 Postgraduate degree | 232 (46) | 36 (40) | 194 (49) |
 Other | 19 (4) | 4 (4) | 15 (4) |
Household income (AUD) | |||
 $10,000-$19,000 | 13 (3) | 0 (0) | 13 (3) |
 $20,000-$29,999 | 25 (5) | 4 (4) | 16 (4) |
 $30,000-$59,999 | 56 (11) | 4 (4) | 50 (13) |
 $60,000-$99,999 | 112 (22) | 11 (12) | 101 (25) |
 $100,000-$149,999 | 129 (26) | 23 (25) | 106 (27) |
 $150,000-$249,999 | 95 (19) | 22 (24) | 71 (18) |
 $250,000 or more | 70 (14) | 27 (30) | 43 (10) |
Index parent’s sexual orientation | |||
 Lesbian | 344 (69) | - | 337 (84) |
 Gay | 92 (18) | 85 (93) | 7 (2) |
 Bisexual | 41 (8) | 1 (1) | 40 (10) |
 Queer | 11 (2) | 2 (2) | 9 (2) |
 Heterosexual | 3 (1) | 0 (0) | 3 (1) |
 Other | 9 (2) | 3 (3) | 4 (1) |
Transgender parent | 6 (1) | 2 (2) | 1 (<1) |
Child relationship to index parentb | |||
 Biological child | 310 (62) | 46 (51) | 256 (64) |
 Non-biological child | 123 (24) | 18 (20) | 104 (26) |
 Partner’s biological child | 98 (20) | 17 (19) | 80 (20) |
 Fostered | 13 (3) | 8 (9) | 5 (1) |
 Adopted | 2 (<1) | 2 (2) | 0 (0) |
Parent relationship status at time of conception, fostering or adoption | |||
 Current relationship | 347 (69) | 66 (73) | 279 (70) |
 Index parent’s previous heterosexual relationship | 50 (10) | 10 (11) | 40 (10) |
 Index parent’s previous same-sex relationship | 37 (7) | 2 (2) | 35 (9) |
 While index parent single | 33 (7) | 8 (9) | 23 (6) |
 Partner’s previous heterosexual relationship | 19 (4) | 0 (0) | 19 (5) |
 While partner single | 2 (<1) | 2 (2) | 0 (0) |
 Other | 5 (1) | 0 (0) | 2 (1) |
Where child lives | |||
 With index parent full time | 411 (82) | 70 (77) | 335 (84) |
 With index parent part time | 50 (10) | 16 (18) | 24 (6) |
 With another parent full time | 12 (2) | 3 (3) | 9 (2) |
 Lives independently | 1 (<1) | 0 (0) | 1 (<1) |
 Other | 24 (5) | 2 (2) | 19 (5) |
Index parent currently in a relationship | 464 (93) | 83 (91) | 374 (94) |
Method of conceptionb | |||
 Heterosexual intercourse | 102 (20) | 18 (20) | 79 (20) |
 Home insemination – known or own gametes | 137 (27) | 7 (8) | 127 (32) |
 ARTc – unknown donor | 148 (30) | 3 (3) | 145 (36) |
 ART – known donor or own gametes | 51 (10) | 2 (2) | 48 (12) |
 Surrogacy – own gametes | 44 (9) | 42 (46) | 1 (<1) |
 Surrogacy – unknown donor | 23 (5) | 23 (25) | 0 (0) |
 Surrogacy – known donor | 10 (2) | 10 (11) | 0 (0) |