| |
Listen to lone parents - One Parent Families' Manifesto 2006/07
|
|
| |
The abbreviated manifesto can be downloaded at the bottom of this page
Nearly two million people in Britain today are bringing up children on their own - that's one quarter of all families. They care for three million children. Many more have faced a period as a single parent, or will do so in the future. Among the next generation of children, between one third and one half will spend some of their childhood in a lone-parent family.
Lone parents still face poverty, stigma and isolation - 48 per cent of children in one-parent families are poor. And although lone parenthood is usually a short stage in the life cycle, lasting an average of about five years, parents and their children feel the impact for many years.
One Parent Families asked lone parents what their top priorities are and this is a summary of what they said. We believe these should form the basis of the long-term goals for Government policy for lone parents.
Benefits and tax
Education and training
Work and family
Children and childcare
Supporting families
Child maintenance
About One Parent Families
One Parent Families is the leading national charity working to help the UK's 1.9 million lone parents. We believe we can build a fairer society for all families, in which lone parents and their children are not disadvantaged and do not suffer from poverty, isolation or social exclusion. Just as the family is important to couples with children, so it is equally to lone parents. Raising children is a challenge for anyone, and doing it alone magnifies those challenges.Since the foundation of the charity in 1918, the organisation has altered and expanded to reflect the changing needs of one-parent families, and it now offers a comprehensive range of services.
Did you know?
What One Parent Families offers
How can you help?
Our goals for the future
Lone parents face a range of problems including poverty, lack of childcare and inflexible working practices. While lone parenthood on average lasts for five and a half years, the effects of these problems can last much longer. We want lone parents to be able to move on from the poverty and stigmatisation that can define so much of their lives, and see real change happening across the board. Our long-term goals for lone parents reflect the real difficulties they face. Political parties must sign up to making these goals a reality.
End poverty in one-parent families
Ensure that all families can increase their chances of obtaining better-paid and more secure employment.
Ensure lone parents have real choices about balancing work and family life
Ensure a high quality, affordable childcare place for every child
Ensure that families have access to support, advice and appropriate services that meet their needs
Introduce a guaranteed system of child maintenance
|
...Back to previous page
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
