As a child advocate and a stepmom, I looked forward to seeing new figures from the U.S. Census Bureau summarizing the number of stepchildren and describing the families that they live in. Boy, was I ever in for a big surprise. The numbers put out by the Census Bureau about stepchildren are so inaccurate, that even the bureau is issuing statements disavowing them. Advocates who had hoped for something at least slightly better than the bureau’s “We the American Children” report based on the 1990 census might as well keep on dreaming.

In August 2003, the U.S. Census Bureau released a groundbreaking report on adopted children and stepchildren – both new categories in the 2000 census. A news release issued by the bureau touted data on adoptees, and the resulting media coverage focused on adopted children.

According to the report, five per cent of America’s children are stepchildren and they outnumber adoptees 2 to 1, with the census reporting 4.4 million stepchildren and 2.1 million adopted children.

A forgotten footnote in the report says that only two-thirds of stepchildren living with at least one stepparent were actually counted and adds, “…characteristics of the stepchildren shown in this report may not represent all stepchildren.” In other words, Census 2000 is worthless when it comes to stepfamilies and its figures represent an underestimation at best.

Why can’t the government count stepchildren accurately? The problem starts with the lack of consensus on the definition of “stepchild,” and is compounded by shifting views of marriage. Children were categorized as “stepchildren” if the primary householder was a stepparent, not if the stepparent was just another adult living in the same home.

If the census were taken today, my three stepchildren would be counted as natural children living with a single parent, their mom. Because we live in a separate household and two of the kids only live with us a third of the time, my husband and I would be listed as childless by census takers.

It’s not exactly a new problem. For years, advocates have lamented the lack of good data about stepfamilies. The Stepfamily Association of America notes on its fact sheet that “there are no recent estimates on the number of children residing in stepfamilies.”

Many of the children counted by the census as living in a single parent household were really stepchildren, according to researchers working in 1995. Including only children living in legally married stepfamilies, researchers Bumpass, Raley and Sweet, found that 23% of America’s children live in stepfamilies. When children residing with a parent who lives with a partner outside of marriage are included, the number of children living in stepfamilies rises to 30% of all children. If this estimate holds water, the number of stepchildren in America is more than 19.4 million children, a far cry from the 4.4 million counted in the 2000 census.

So why does it matter if the government can’t count stepchildren? It’s important because data from the census dramatically influences education and family public policy. Charities, education professionals and government officials rely on census figures to gauge child population size and needs. The ripple effect of not being counted in the census generates a tidal wave of neglect.

Not counting stepchildren accurately in the census guarantees that their needs will not be addressed. It’s time for the U.S. Census Bureau to re-evaluate the categories used for the census and to determine a better way to count stepfamilies. Stepfamilies should be treated better than a forgotten footnote.

Dawn Miller writes a column on life in blended families at thestepfamilylife.com. 
Visit Dawn's blog for a daily dose of life in the blender.
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