"There were 7.3 million working-age families with dependent children in spring 2004, of which 84 per cent had at least one resident parent in employment. The proportion of couple families where both parents worked increased by 8 percentage points, to 68 per cent, over the ten year period to spring 2004. The lone parent employment rate increased by 12 percentage points over the same period, to 54 per cent. These upward trends reflect increases in both full-time and part-time employment.The article describes employment patterns within families with dependent children, and employment rates among parents as individuals.The variables analysed include age, region, qualification levels, number of children within the family unit, and age of youngest dependent child. Employment rates among working-age people without dependent children are also given."

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