1. Single Parents in Europe
Satwat Rehman
Dublin, June 2018

2. 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

3. 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.

4. Households with Children by parenting status

5. Living arrangements based on parental status

7. Severe material deprivation risk

8. 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

9. 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

10. Single parents working

11. Reasons for part-time work for mothers

12. 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

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

14. 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

15. 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