What is family

There are many interpretations of the term family. Definitions like 'nuclear family' and 'family household' tend to assume that families are only those groups consisting of parents and their children or living in the same household. For most New Zealanders, family means a kin-based group that extends beyond this to include other relatives and span more than one generation.
From a social development perspective, the importance of families and of culture specific groups such as whanau lies in the roles they play in development and wellbeing. As social institutions families:
provide wellbeing for their members;
nuture and protect children;
provide care for members who need it because of disabilities or age;
provide material and emotional support; and
pass on culture, knowledge, values, attitudes, property rights and obligations from one generation to the next.
Families need to be resilient to fulfil these roles successfully. Resiliency is associated with a number of attributes, including:
cohesion;
flexibility and adaptability;
effective communications;
good coping skills to deal with problems that arise;
positive parenting;
a well developed belief system; and
a sense of culture and heritage.
The resilience of families in contemporary New Zealand is under strain because of changes in their social and economic circumstances.
More parents are in paid work and they are faced with the pressures of balancing job demands with their responsibilities as caregivers.
Family structures are changing more often and they have to deal increasingly with issues like migration, separation, change of partners and split custodial arrangements.
Families are sometimes faced with the stress of job loss and inadequate income because of changes in the economy.
Changes in institutional care, education and training have increased demands on families to provide continuing care and support.
Most families cope with these changes. For some, the stress contributes to such things as family violence, abuse and neglect of children, and break-ups. Families need to be aware of and have access to support which is effective in helping them deal with these challenges.