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A single parent (also lone parent and sole parent) is a parent who cares for one or more children without the assistance of another parent in the home. A parent is a Father or Mother; one who sires or gives The legal definition of "single parenthood" may vary according to the local laws of different nations or regions.

Single parenthood may occur for a variety of reasons. It could be opted for by the parent (as in divorce, adoption, artificial insemination, surrogate motherhood, or extramarital pregnancy), or be the result of an unforeseeable occurrence (such as death or abandonment by one parent). Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the termination of a Marriage. Adoption is the act of legally placing a child with a Parent or parents other than those to whom they were born AIH redirects here For the indie rock band abbreviated AIH see Architecture in Helsinki Artificial insemination (AI is the process by which Surrogacy is a method of Reproduction whereby a woman agrees to become pregnant and deliver a child for a contracted party

The living and parenting arrangements of single parents are diverse. A number live in households with family or other adults. When parents separate, one party usually parents for the majority of the time but most continue to share parenting to some extent with the other parent[1].

Single parenthood is a stage of life rather than a lifelong family form[2]. Many re-partner and form a stepfamily.

Contents

Single parent demographics

Most single parents are female. In the past few years there are more men heading single parent families. [3]

In 2003, 14% of all Australian households were single-parent families. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Since 2001, 31% of babies born in Australia were born to unmarried mothers. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. [4] (Many of these mothers may not be single parents, as they may simply live with their supportive partners without getting formally married. )

In the United Kingdom, there are 1. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located 9 million single parents as of 2005, with 3. 1 million children. [5] About 1 out of 4 families with dependent children are single-parent families. According to a survey done by the United Kingdom, 9% of single parents in the UK are fathers,[6] and 86% of single parents are white. [7][8][9] UK poverty figures show that 47% of single parent families are below the Government-defined poverty line (after housing costs). [10]

Effects of single parenting

See also: Implications of divorce

Single parent families are at a higher risk of poverty than couple families, and on average single mothers have poorer health than couple mothers [2]. Emotional implications Divorce is often one of the most traumatic periods in a person's life

Single parenting is strongly associated with an increased risk of a number of negative social, behavioral and emotional outcomes for children. However while the association is strong, on balance the effect size and the actual numbers effected is modest. Most children from single parent families do well. Many factors influence how children develop in single-parent families: the parent's age, education level, and occupation; the family's income; and the family's support network of friends and extended family members (including the non-resident parent, if available). Disadvantages in these factors that often accompany single parenting appear to cause most of this association rather than single parenting itself [11] [12].

Shocking headlines do get published; for example a 2003 Swedish study, stated that those living with a single parent were about three times more likely to either kill themselves or end up in the hospital after an attempted suicide by the age of 26 than children living with two parents, however this only happened to 2. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. 2 percent of girls and 1 percent of boys [13]. While such a finding is concerning, clearly the vast majority of the children of single parents do not kill themselves.

A variety of viewpoints do exist, with different readings of the research possible. The Institute for the Study of Civil Society reports that children of single parents, after controlling for other variables like family income, are more likely to have problems [14]. There are impacts of sole parenting on children, however the weight of the evidence does not appear to support a view that sole parents are a major cause of societal ills and are doing irreparable damage to their children [12].

Maturity

Children of single parents are very likely to share more household responsibilities, including looking after themselves. Single parents often discuss things with their children (usually financial or family decisions) which, in other families, are usually discussed only between parents. This can make the children from these families particularly independent, mature, resourceful, and responsible as compared to their peers. [15]

Assistance and help

A common way for single parents to seek and receive help is over the internet by conversing with other single parents in similar situations. There are various websites available, offering discussion forums and helpful advice to those parents who find themselves alone. Other websites help by offering single parents to support each other while also providing highly useful links to various solicitors, counselors and financial advisers in any area of the UK. Only Dads and Only Mums are examples of such websites.

Many western countries have national or local organizations that offer support specifically for single parents and/or lobby the government on their behalf.

By insemination

A woman may voluntarily become a single parent by artificial insemination. AIH redirects here For the indie rock band abbreviated AIH see Architecture in Helsinki Artificial insemination (AI is the process by which In many countries, e. g. Sweden this is prohibited. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Swedes, however, may go to Denmark, where it is legal to have an insemination. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe

Single parents in history, literature, television, films, etc.

There have been several famous single parents who were also actors, vocalists, and politicians. An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person Murphy Brown, one famous fictional character in the sitcom of the same name, was a career woman working in a TV news firm. Murphy Brown is an American Situation comedy which aired on CBS from November 14, 1988 to May 18, 1998 She became pregnant and had a baby in the comedy series' fourth season. The character's decisions became a nation-wide interest when she was referred to by several US family values-oriented politicians, including then-vice president, Dan Quayle, who openly criticized the show during a 1992 speech in San Francisco. Family values is a political and social concept used in various cultures to describe values that are believed to be traditional in that culture and in support of the idea James Danforth "Dan" Quayle (born February 4 1947 is an American politician and a former Senator from the state of Indiana. [16]

Other examples include:

Public policy debate

Single parents have often been the focus of public policy debate. Flipper is an American Television program first Broadcast on NBC from September 18, 1964 until April 15 Lassie is an Emmy Award -winning American Television series that follows the adventures of a female rough collie named Lassie The Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised by CBS between October 3 1960 and April 1 The Scarlet Letter is the Magnum opus of Nathaniel Hawthorne. The debate has included both practical considerations around the role of government in their support, and moral ones in response to the decline of the traditional family. The moral debate tends to divide between liberal and conservative positions with liberals welcoming or accepting the changes in family structures, while conservatives decry the declines in marriage and the rises in divorce and cohabitation. The policy debate also tends to split along similar lines with fiscal conservatives emphasizing a minimal role for government and an employment focus, while liberals tend to support more government involvement in an attempt to minimize poverty.

See also

References

  1. ^ Callister, Paul and Burks, Stuart (2006) "Two Parents, Two Households: New Zealand data collection, language and complex parenting" Family Commission (accessed February, 18 2008)
  2. ^ a b Millar, Jane and Ridge, Tess (2001)"Families, Poverty, Work and Care: A review of literature on lone parents and low income couple families" (DWP Research Report No. Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the termination of a Marriage. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** The marriage gap describes observed economic and political disparities between those who are married and those who are single. An only child is a child with no Siblings, either Biological or adopted. In relationships, a single person is one who is not married or in a romantic relationship Sir Morris Finer QC (1917&ndash1974 was a Lawyer and Judge. As a young Barrister Morris Finer also wrote leaders for the London Evening Teenage pregnancy is defined as a Teenage or underage girl usually within the ages of 13-17 becoming pregnant 153)
  3. ^ Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, US Department of Health and Human Services - Indicators of Child, Family, and Community Connections: Family Structure
  4. ^ "Single Parents" PoBronson. com (accessed October 9, 2006)
  5. ^ As of 2004. Office for National Statistics - Focus on Families
  6. ^ As of 2004. Labour Force Survey - Focus on Families; see table 1. 2
  7. ^ "One Parent Families Today: The Facts" (2005), One Parent Families, London
  8. ^ Labour Market Review (2006), Office for National Statistics
  9. ^ households2005-final.xls2005 Office for National Statistics - General Household Survey; see table 3. 6
  10. ^ 2005/06 Department for Work and Pensions
  11. ^ Rickard, Maurice "Children of Lesbian and Single Women Parents" Research Note no. 41 2001-02, Social Policy Group, Parliament of Australia (accessed February, 18 2008)
  12. ^ a b Mackay, Ross (2005) "The impact of family structure and family change on child outcomes: a personal reading of the research literature"Social Policy Journal of New Zealand (accessed February, 18 2008)
  13. ^ The Lancet, January 25, paraphrased by CBS News' Emma Ross, "Single-Parent Kids More At Risk"
  14. ^ Experiments in Living: The Fatherless Family
  15. ^ CYH.com - "Single Parenting," involving them in family issues
  16. ^ McQueen, Michael. Quayle's Criticisms Of `Murphy Brown' Send Sparks Flying --- Pregnancy on Sitcom Proves Fertile Ground for Debate Over Values and Abortion. Wall Street Journal. May 21, 1992.

External links

Dictionary

single parent

-noun

  1. A parent who is the only guardian of an offspring.
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