According to recent findings from the Economic and Social Research Institute, individuals are at more than double the risk of falling into poverty when they become single parents while their children are still young. The research identifies several critical factors that can aid single parents in avoiding or recovering from economic difficulties, which include the size of the family, level of education, the ability to secure substantial paid work and the receipt of financial assistance, either from a previous partner or welfare benefits.
This study, titled ‘Lone Parent Transitions, Employment Transitions and Poverty Outcomes’, penned by Professor Helen Russell and Bertrand Maître from ESRI, received backing from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The research will be presented at the annual research conference ‘Growing Up in Ireland’, being held at Dublin’s Gibson Hotel.
Between 2008 and 2017, around 7,500 parents with infants aged nine months in 2008 were interviewed. Over this period, the majority of those who became or already were single parents were women.
At the start of this study, 16% of the respondents were single parents, half of them had entered into relationships by 2017. Concurrently, about 9% of respondents from two-parent families became single parents, hence, the general percentage of single parents remained steady over these years.
In terms of economic vulnerability, the report states that among single parents, “increased risk is associated with factors such as disability, lower education levels, larger family size and lack of employment”.
Across all economic classifications, those who became single parents faced a 2.6 times higher risk of experiencing poverty compared to those in two-parent households. This heightened risk was relatively steady, even when substantial economic status differences were seen.
For instance, among degree holders, the report suggests that “the likelihood of economic vulnerability was 24% for those who become single parents, in contrast to 10% for those who stayed in a couple”.
Based on the authors’ analysis, 44 and 23 percent of individuals with lower than secondary-level education are at an escalated risk respectively, with lone parents who have poor educational backgrounds particularly at risk.
Professor Russell expressed surprise at the sheer magnitude of the issue, having been unaware of the scope prior to this exploration. The professor was particularly taken aback by the extent of the economical vulnerability, even amongst those who had prior financial security before becoming single parents. Their exposure to potential economic disadvantage was rather significant.
Nevertheless, the professor emphasised that education could act as a tool to help prevent or escape from financial vulnerability. Apart from the need for decently-paid employment for lone parents, there are other critical elements to take into account, including childcare accessibility, and the need for sufficient infrastructure to provide support.
“There must be adequate frameworks in place to offer assistance,” she stressed.
In reference to this, Professor Russell suggested that the role of the government could be significant.
The study was received positively by the Minister for Children, Roderic O’Gorman who mentioned it exposes where support should be concentrated in order to decrease prevalent poverty among single parents. The report underscored the need for assistance, primarily in areas such as childcare, access to education, and employment opportunities for lone parents.
“This report contributes significantly to the growing body of evidence that helps us comprehend the complexities of childhood poverty, so we can discover and put into effect solutions,” he commented.