Single parent

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A single parent is a parent who cares for children without the assistance of another person in the home. The legal definition of "single parenthood" may vary according to the local laws of different nations or regions.

Single parenthood may occur as the result of many things. Often it is opted for by the parent (as in adoption, artificial insemination, surrogate motherhood, or extramarital pregnancy), and often it is an unforseeable occurrence (as in the death of one parent, divorce, or abandonment by one parent).

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 absent parent, if available).

There have been several famous single parents who were also actors, vocalists, and politicians. Murphy Brown, one famous fictional character in the sitcom of the same name, was a career woman working in a TV news firm. 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.^{[citation needed]}

Single parent demographics

In the United States, the percentage of children with single parents rose from 23% in 1980 to 31% in 2002.^[1]

In 2003, 14% of all Australian households were single-parent families. Since 2001, 31% of babies born in Australia were born to unmarried mothers.^[2] (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 1.9 million single parents as of 2005, with 3.1 million children.^[3] 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,^[4] and 86% of single parents are white.^[5][6][7]

According to a Swedish study, children living with a sole 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.^[8]

Circumstances

Single parenthood can be very challenging. 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.^[9]

References

1. ^ Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, US Department of Health and Human Services - Indicators of Child, Family, and Community Connections: Family Structure
2. ^ "Single Parents" PoBronson.com (accessed October 9, 2006)
3. ^ As of 2004. Office for National Statistics - Focus on Families
4. ^ As of 2004. Labour Force Survey - Focus on Families; see table 1.2
5. ^ "One Parent Families Today: The Facts" (2005), One Parent Families, London
6. ^ Labour Market Review (2006), Office for National Statistics
7. ^ households2005-final.xls2005 Office for National Statistics - General Household Survey; see table 3.6
8. ^ The Lancet, January 25, paraphrased by CBS News' Emma Ross, "Single-Parent Kids More At Risk"
9. ^ CYH.com - "Single Parenting," accessed October 9, 2006

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