Single Parents in Europe Satwat Rehman Dublin, June 2018

Issues Increasing number of single parents all over Europe One-parent families: a major risk group for living in poverty or social exclusion In work poverty – unequal labour market access Policies and practices not set up to support one parent families

Families in the EU Highest proportion of lone parent families in Denmark, lowest in Croatia The lowest proportions of single adults with children were found in Croatia (5% of all households with dependent children), Romania (7%), Greece and Slovakia (both 8%). Conversely, with about 1 in every 3 families being a lone parent family, Denmark (30%) recorded the highest proportion of single adult households with children, followed by Lithuania (28%), Sweden (25%), the United Kingdom 21%), France and Latvia (both 20%). At EU level, 15% of families were made up of single parents with children.

Households with Children by parenting status

Living arrangements based on parental status

Severe material deprivation risk

One parent families at risk of poverty or social exclusion affected by at least one of three forms of poverty: monetary poverty, material deprivation or very low work intensity women more likely to live in poverty and social exclusion than men

Less access to labour market and to professional careers lower employment of single mothers: 84.1% vs. 90.6% of mothers with partners Labour Force Survey 2010 as in Ruggeri & Bird, 2014 lower involvement in professional or highly skilled careers - especially single mothers with part- time jobs especially young single mothers (<30) with very young children

Single parents working

Reasons for part-time work for mothers

Working poor   Certain groups among the working population face high risks of being poor. Factors affecting in-work poverty rates include household type, type of contract, working time and hourly wages, among others. Single parents are the most at risk, with one out of five affected in 2013. Part-time employment can also lead to this form of poverty. Eurostat 2015  

Barriers Working hours Qualifications Lack of suitable childcare Lack of family friendly working Services not designed to support single parents’ dual role Barriers

How to deal with these issues Social Protection Routes into: education training and employment Progression in employment Sustainable work Adequate income Affordable, flexible childcare Family friendly working practices

Stronger Families Two projects: Our approach: Strengths based: Supporting single parents into work Supporting single parent in work Our approach: Strengths based: single parents as experts; work and design solutions with, not for; recognise the structural and institutional challenges and barriers we need to address