The Single Fathers versus Single Mothers
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The Single Fathers versus Single Mothers The plight of single mothers has been all too familiar in the recent years. Social services have been tailored made to cater to their needs. It is with them that our society sympathizes. Then again, we seem to have forgotten that while there is a single mother, there is the single father who suffers just the same. He is that other part of the whole. He also has his own rights, needs and story that deserves to get noticed and paid attention to. Indeed, he too matters and that is for sure. The number of single fathers in the United States registered to about 2.5 million by the year 2007. Of the 2.5 million, 40 % of them are divorced, 4% are widowed and the remaining 16 % are separated. Eight percent of the population rears three or more children below 18 years of age. About 14 % of this population has been not been living in their own homes. The annual income of 27 % of these families amounts to about $ 50,000 or more (Information Please Database, 2007). This has been a big population boost as way back in 1970, single mothers account to about 90 % of the single family population while single fathers only numbers to 400,000 (Gillenkirk, 2000). The American family is a lot different now. More and more fathers left to rear their children after a break up are starting to out number the single mother population, almost twice as much. More than 2 million, which is about one - fifth of the population of single parents today, are single fathers. Even though the media 's portrayal of single parents still focuses primarily on single moms, working single fathers now register to about 30 % of the single parents population (Gillenkirk, 2000). For most social workers, particularly the ones involved in the welfare
References: Gillenkirk, J. Fathermag.com. (2000, November 4). A Revolution in American Fathering. Retrieved February 18, 2008, from http://www.fathermag.com/107/fathers/ Information Please Database. (2007). Fathers by the Numbers. Retrieved February 18, 2008, from http://www.infoplease.com/spot/dadcensus1.html. Jaff, E.D. (1983). Fathers and Child Welfare Services: The Forgotten Clients. Laurence Erlbaum Ass, 129 – 37. Shaklee, H. CCC. (Year). Fathers in America: 100 Years of Change. Retrieved February 18, 2008, from http://www.agls.uidaho.edu/ccc/CCC%20Families/Research/fathers.htm