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Action to support lone parents

What can you do to help?

Article by : SpunOut.ie

What’s this all about?

A lone parent is a single parent. If you are the child of a lone parent, then you will have one parent that is not involved in your life. Some people may be lone parents due to the death of a partner; some due to a break-up of a relationship or others just because they choose to become a lone parent. There are many different circumstances regarding lone parenthood.

Some Facts:

  • In 2002 there were 153,863 lone parents in Ireland.
  • Most of these lone parents are women.
  • 16% of children living below the poverty line come from lone parent families.


Why?

  • Almost 50% of lone parents have only a primary school education.
  • Only 45% of lone parents are working. 
  • The lack of childcare facilities, coupled with their cost, means that it is hard for lone parents to gain employment or training outside the home.
  • Job choices will be limited if lone parents have to work around their children’s needs, as many lone parents can only work part-time.

 

Studies in other countries have shown that lone parents have poorer health than those living as couples. Causes of this poorer health are the higher rates of poverty of lone parents, the absence of an intimate/confiding relationship and the stress and stigma associated with becoming a lone parent. Single parents have the full responsibility of rearing their children without help from anyone else.

 

What can young people do?

  • Look after your own sexual and reproductive health. There are many websites that you can look at for information such as www.crisispregnancy.ie.
  • Prevention is better than cure. Campaign for good quality sex education in your schools or local centres.

 

Lobby politicians to:

  • Make childcare facilities cheaper and more widely available.
  • Provide more benefits and financial help so that the lone parent can cope with living expenses and other demands.
  • Provide child/home friendly jobs so that the lone parent can work around their children’s schedule.
  • Fund support groups for lone parents.
  • Educate teenagers with the aim of decreasing teenage pregnancy.

 

For further supportive information on single parenting, please contact Treoir on:

LoCall: 1890252084
Tel: 01–6700 120
Email: info@treoir.ie

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