Previous Page
Irish
Times Wednesday, October 10, 2001
Poverty
a serious risk for lone parents, report finds
By Nuala Haughey, Social and Racial Affairs Correspondent
The number of single parents claiming one-parent social welfare
benefits has risen sixfold in the past two decades, a new report
by a Government advisory body shows.
Lone
parents are at particular risk of experiencing poverty and their
educational achievements and rate of participation in the labour
force are low, according to the study by the National Economic
and Social Forum (NESF).
Almost
half of lone parents in 1997 had only primary-level education
and they currently make up fewer than 2 per cent of participants
in mainstream training, the report says.
About
a quarter of lone parents claiming One Parent Family Payment in
1999 were in employment. This compares to Finland, where a 1997
study found that 65 per cent of lone mothers were employed.
The
"Lone Parents" report, published yesterday, says "persistent
barriers" remain for lone parents in accessing education,
training and employment.
"Our
findings show that particular supports are required for lone parents
and greater levels of flexibility with regard to provision are
needed if the participation rates of lone parents are to be increased
to any significant effect," it says.
It
points out that lone parents who marry or cohabit face a cut in
welfare payments and considers options on easing regulations in
this area to help them form new families or develop relationships
with new partners.
On
the issue of absent fathers, the report recommends setting up
social support networks for young fathers and community-based
programmes on parent/child communication.
It
says housing policy should take account of absent fathers who
have overnight access to their children and father-children facilities
should be provided within local communities for fathers who do
not have suitable accommodation.
The
report makes a series of recommendations on enhancing public services
to lone parents and improving their access to education, training
and employment.
These
include appointing "family service workers" within the
Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs; developing
peer support networks; introducing more family-friendly arrangements
and childcare facilities; and greater integration between the
income tax and social welfare system to help lone parents participate
in the labour market.
The
report shows that the numbers of people in receipt of a One Parent
Family Payment increased from 12,551 in 1981 to 73,282 in 2001.
The
numbers of households headed by lone parents rose from 99,975
in 1986 to 127,488 in 1996. In 1986, lone-parent households accounted
for 10 per cent of all private households while in 1996 this figure
rose to 11.2 per cent.
The
NESF's chairwoman, Dr Maureen Gaffney, said the report outlined
the direction policy needs to take so that women, their partners
and babies can have lives which are not just adequate, but dignified.
"What
this report is doing is presenting the non-glamorous end of the
baby business and focusing on the pretty grim reality that being
a lone parent dependent on social welfare is for the vast majority
of young women in that position," she said.
"Not
only are they at risk of consistent poverty, but because of a
whole range of barriers built into the system their participation
rate in the labour market and education system is low."
The
Government said it welcomed the report's publication while work
is continuing on a revised National Anti-Poverty Strategy, due
to be published next month.
|