What have these people all got in common? Liz Hurley, Mel B, Patsy Kensit, Angelina Jolie, Kate Moss

THEY HAVE ALL BEEN/ ARE SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES.

SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES

Fill in the missing words STARTER Fill in the missing words

BLANKETY BLANK! Since the 1970s single parent families have _________ in the UK About _____% of all families with dependent children are single parent families About ___% of them are headed by women One child in _____ now lives with a lone parent Britain has the __________ rate of lone parenthood in Europe

BLANKETY BLANK! Since the 1970s single parent families have TRIPLED in the UK About 25% of all families with dependent children are single parent families About 90 % of them are headed by women One child in FIVE now lives with a lone parent Britain has the HIGHEST rate of lone parenthood in Europe

THE REALITY: In the UK, the percentage of single parent families has tripled since the 1970’s. Now in the UK, about 25% of families with dependent children are single parent families. 1 in 5 children in Europe live with a lone parent. In the past single parent families were usually caused by being widowed, now most are from divorce or from couples not marrying.

TASK: IN PAIRS, MAKE A LIST OF CHANGES AND ATTITUDES IN SOCIETY THAT YOU THINK HAVE LED TO THE INCREASED RATES OF SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES.

Reasons for growth: Welfare State: benefits mean that women no longer have to rely on men. Feminists see this as a good thing, whilst New Right argue its now too easy to be a single parent. 40% lone parents, don’t marry Changing attitudes towards marriage

Reasons for growth: Divorce: much cheaper and easier now in the UK than in the 1970’s Social Acceptance. Less stigma attached to it than in the past- linked to secularisation (decline in religion) Media: no longer portray single parent families as deviant/ sinful- now seen in a more positive light.

Answer the questions on the worksheet. TASK: Answer the questions on the worksheet.

THE STATS Q1: Having analysed the statistics, do you think that the realities match the representation of single parent families by the right wing media and the New Right? Explain your answer.

THE STATS Q2What might the pressure group say about the amount of male single parent families? Q3: Why might the New Right be displeased about the percentage of dependent children living in single parent households?

THE NEW RIGHT Read the following information on single parent families and poverty and work and childcare, and write two paragraphs summarising why the New Right have such a problem with single parent families.

PLENARY: FINAL THOUGHTS

Lone parents from black or minority ethnic communities make up 12 per cent of all lone parents  compared to 7.9 per cent of the UK’s population. 

Defending Single Parents Lone parenthood is now often a stage in the life-cycle, lasting on average around five years. See postmodernism and sociology of personal life

HOMEWORK.... www.gingerbread.org.uk www.fathers-4-justice.org Have a look at the websites above and summarise what these organisations are campaigning for.