Changing Patterns of Family Life - Lone Parent Families
Lone parent families:
According to the ONS- there were 3 million lone-parent households in the UK in 2015 out of 18 million households (16.7%)
This figure has increased in numbers since 1996 when there were 2.4 million out of 16.5 million households (14.5%)
This is a slight increase in the percentage of families headed by one parent over the last 20 years
Reasons for the rise in lone-parent families:
The changing position of women
Changing attitudes to relationships
Less stigma attached to lone parenting
State support for parents
The changing position of women:
Women petition for two-thirds of divorces in the UK demonstrating a change in attitudes of women towards marriage
Women have become financially independent and increasingly career-focused which has improved the confidence of women to seek out what they want from life
Women are less likely to tolerate a partner that does not fulfil their individual needs than in previous generations
Changing attitudes to relationships:
For both men and women, the expectations of relationships have changed
Giddens- confluent love
Bauman- liquid love
Greater focus on individualism within relationships and this has meant staying together for children is less important
Less stigma attached to lone parenting:
With divorce becoming more commonplace attitudes toward lone parenting have changed
People choose to bring up their children alone- changing the nature of relationships
The rise of feminism has seen divorce as a form of empowerment for women- lone parents celebrated for being two lone parents at the same time
Celebrity lifestyle- high profile lone parents and relationship changes
State support for parents:
New Right are critical of welfare dependency and have cut support for lone parents
However, initiatives such as the Working Tax Credit and funding for 30 hours of free childcare have supported lone parents in work
The creation of Child Support Agency had a mixed impact on lone parent support
Impacts of increase in lone parent families on society:
New Right- lack of adequate socialisation
Increase in reconstituted families and lone-person households
Increase in female role models for girls
Growth of co-parenting and amicable relations between former partners
Potential for conflict over access, new relationships and financial arrangements
Lone parent families:
According to the ONS- there were 3 million lone-parent households in the UK in 2015 out of 18 million households (16.7%)
This figure has increased in numbers since 1996 when there were 2.4 million out of 16.5 million households (14.5%)
This is a slight increase in the percentage of families headed by one parent over the last 20 years
Reasons for the rise in lone-parent families:
The changing position of women
Changing attitudes to relationships
Less stigma attached to lone parenting
State support for parents
The changing position of women:
Women petition for two-thirds of divorces in the UK demonstrating a change in attitudes of women towards marriage
Women have become financially independent and increasingly career-focused which has improved the confidence of women to seek out what they want from life
Women are less likely to tolerate a partner that does not fulfil their individual needs than in previous generations
Changing attitudes to relationships:
For both men and women, the expectations of relationships have changed
Giddens- confluent love
Bauman- liquid love
Greater focus on individualism within relationships and this has meant staying together for children is less important
Less stigma attached to lone parenting:
With divorce becoming more commonplace attitudes toward lone parenting have changed
People choose to bring up their children alone- changing the nature of relationships
The rise of feminism has seen divorce as a form of empowerment for women- lone parents celebrated for being two lone parents at the same time
Celebrity lifestyle- high profile lone parents and relationship changes
State support for parents:
New Right are critical of welfare dependency and have cut support for lone parents
However, initiatives such as the Working Tax Credit and funding for 30 hours of free childcare have supported lone parents in work
The creation of Child Support Agency had a mixed impact on lone parent support
Impacts of increase in lone parent families on society:
New Right- lack of adequate socialisation
Increase in reconstituted families and lone-person households
Increase in female role models for girls
Growth of co-parenting and amicable relations between former partners
Potential for conflict over access, new relationships and financial arrangements
