[The demographic backdrop of families and children in Québec.]

This article presents the demographic background underlying the family evolution from the beginning of the XXth Century up to now. The first section describes the transformations of individual behaviour related to the family formation and stability. The main facts are the following : after a long period where a "legal" marriage corresponded to the beginning of a family, "living together" becomes more and more popular ; small families are replacing large families ; family planning becomes almost universal while more or less efficient contraceptive techniques are replaced by the most efficient ones; on the other hand, the marriage stability, formerly insured by an irrevocable commitment, is questionned as the rapidly increasing divorce rate shows. The second section examines the effects of these changes on the family environment of children ; it is shown that children born today are living in a more limited family environment : they will have only one brother or sister and very few cousins. Before they reach their majority very few will see the death of one of their parents ; however, the probability of seeing their parents obtain a divorce is increasing substantially, and a higher percentage of children will be raised in a lone parent family, by their mother in most cases. The observer is witnessing a rapid multiplication of various conjugal and family situations ; but no new dominant pattern has yet emerged.