Lone Parent Family Research Paper

Changing patterns- growth of the lone parent family

Item B states that “African Caribbean family are more likely to be single parents than other ethnic groups and whites” this is because in African Caribbean families it has a high rate of female being in charge making it a matriarchal role, lone parent black families has sometimes been seen as evidence of family disorganisation that can be traced back to slavery or more recently, high rate of unemployment among black males. Under slavery, when couples were sold separately children stayed with their mother. However Heidi Sofia Mirza (1997) argues that the higher rate of LPF among black families is not result of disorganisation, but rather reflects the high value that black women place independence.

It also argued that this established pattern of family life that persists today, also argued that male unemployment and poverty have meant that
Murray argues that this has created a ‘perverse incentive’, that is, it rewards irresponsible behaviour, such as having children without being able to provide for them. The welfare state creates a decency culture’ in which people assume that the will support them and their children. However critics of NR argue that welfare benefits are far from generous and LPF are much likely to be in poverty reasons for this are lack of affordable childcare prevents lone parents from working statics’ show that 60% of them are unemployed, inadequate welfare benefits, most lone parents are women, which mean that women generally earn less than men and failure of fathers to pay maintaince, especially if they have formed a second family that they have to