Single Parenthood Stereotypes

For all the talk about our inclusive society, there are still areas where inaccurate and harmful stereotypes get a green light from the media and politicians. Teenage parents must seem like the gift that keeps on giving for certain sections of the tabloid press, who leap at the chance to tie up all single parents in the same lazy caricature of feckless welfare spongers. But those who work directly with single parents know that these unjust stereotypes can be hugely damaging to young women or men taking their first steps into parenthood. Young single parents regularly tell us that the stigma they face is one of the most challenging aspects of becoming a parent at a young age.

The stigma means that they can often have low self-esteem and struggle

to negotiate benefits, education and work. And it can be tough to muster up the courage to ask for help. The role of social care professionals here is key – to reach out to young single parents, help them challenge unfair decisions, find out about the support for parents to continue their education or get into work, and to provide for their children.
The reality is that teenage pregnancy rates in the UK have reached the lowest level they've been at since 1969 and less than 2% of the UK's 2 million single parents are teenagers. It was more likely to get married at a young age in the past so teenage pregnancies were common, however now marriages are less common and so these pregnancies are seen as not right. Teenage parents are often entitled to less, not more, financial help than other parents. And many continue to live at home with their own parents. Young single parents tend to have complex needs. Young mums are three times more likely to get post-natal depression than older mothers and are at a higher risk of poor mental health. They're more likely to struggle to complete their education and find employment.