Family composition
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Living arrangements of Aboriginal children
Diverse living arrangements for Aboriginal children 14 years and younger
Aboriginal children were more likely than non-Aboriginal children to live in a lone-parent family, or to be stepchildren, grandchildren living with grandparents with no parent present, foster children or children living with other relatives.
On the other hand, the largest proportion of Aboriginal children and the largest proportion of non-Aboriginal children were living in a family with both their parents, either biological or adoptive. Half of Aboriginal children (50%) were living in this type of family compared with three-quarters (76%) of non-Aboriginal children.
The 2011 National Household Survey (NHS) provides information on children in foster care for the first time. The NHS results revealed that just over 14,000 Aboriginal children aged 14 and younger (almost 4% of Aboriginal children) were living in foster care, 10 times the proportion for non-Aboriginal children.
For additional information on living arrangements of Aboriginal children, see the document Aboriginal Peoples in Canada: First Nations People, Métis and Inuit, 2011 National Household Survey.
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