Still a single parent stigma

Three out of four single parents have personally experienced stigma and one in three say it is on the rise, according to new research from single parents’ charity Gingerbread.

In a poll of 1,500 single parents, half of respondents believed single parent stigma in the media had increased in the last two years, and 20% believed stigma had heightened in both the workplace and the community in that time.

Single parents reported being subjected to negative comments in the street, turned down for jobs and refused tenancies, as well as regularly reading and hearing negative comments about single parents across the media – despite the fact that one in four families with dependent children is headed by a single parent.

“Single parents do a fantastic job, often in difficult circumstances. It is disheartening and frustrating that so many are still facing outdated stigma in their daily lives,” said Gingerbread Chief Executive Fiona Weir. “Single parent families are a normal part of family life today and it is high time we changed the way society perceives and talks about them. We should all be celebrating the incredible work that they do.”

Contact our Family Solicitors in Aberdeen

If you need help with a family law matter, contact our specialist solicitors on 01224 370 028 or fill in our enquiry form today.