Child presence in economic family

Status: This standard was approved as a departmental standard on July 31, 2026.

Definition

Child presence refers to whether the family includes any children.

Economic family refers to a group of two or more persons who live in the same household and are related to each other through biological, couple, adoptive or foster relationships.

Examples of an economic family include two co-resident census families who are related to one another, co-resident siblings who are not members of a census family, or a niece or nephew living with their aunt or uncle.

All members of a given census family belong to the same economic family, as well as any other household members who are related to at least one member of the census family. In households with no census families present, all related persons in the household form an economic family.

Usage

In the context of economic families, child presence refers only to children of the economic family reference person. Children of the economic family reference person may or may not be part of the same census family as the economic family reference person.

Derivation

'Child presence in economic family' is derived from responses to questions about the relationships among the people who live in the household.

Conformity to relevant internationally recognized standards

There are no relevant internationally recognized standards.

Classifications

Relation to previous version

  • Child presence in economic family July 31, 2026 to current

    The definitions of the concept "child presence" and of the statistical unit "economic family" have been modified. The usage for "child presence in economic family" has been modified.

  • Child presence in economic family May 26, 2021 to July 30, 2026

    The name of the concept has been modified from 'child presence any age' to 'child presence', and its definition has been simplified. The definition of the statistical unit has been modified.

  • Child presence any age of economic family November 16, 2015 to May 25, 2021

    This standard has been revised to clarify that, though foster children are considered members of an economic family, economic families are classified as "without children any age" if there are no children by birth, marriage, common-law union or adoption.

  • Presence and number of children under 18 years of economic family September 11, 2013 to November 15, 2015

    'Child presence any age of economic family' replaces the standard 'Presence and number of children under 18 years of economic family' as of November 16, 2015.

  • Child presence any age of economic family October 22, 2007 to November 15, 2015

    'Child presence any age of economic family' is incorporated within the classification of the previous standard, Economic family structure. The current standards take a more simplified approach, presenting each classification dimension as a separate concept. This approach provides greater conceptual and definitional clarity while simultaneously allowing users more flexibility in constructing whatever more complex, multidimensional classifications meet their needs for data presentation.

  • Economic family structure July 15, 1998 to October 21, 2007

    'Child presence any age of economic family' replaces the standard 'Economic family structure' as of November 16, 2015.

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