Facts & Figures

• One-parent families increased to 762,600 in 2001, from 499,300 in 1986. This increase was largely associated with an increase in the number of separated and divorced people.

• The proportion of births occurring outside a registered marriage has increased over time, from 17% in 1986 to 31% in 2001. However, increasingly these births include the names of both of the child’s parents on the birth certificate (88% in 2001, up from 71% in 1986). This may indicate that the increase in births outside marriage is associated with the increase in de facto relationships, rather than an increase in the number of single mothers.

• One-parent families may also be formed through the death of a spouse. However, the proportion of one-parent families formed through widowhood has declined (in 2001, 18% of lone parents were widows, down from 27% in 1986). This is partly because life expectancy has increased for both men and women, and, over the long-term, the proportion of relationships ending through divorce rather than death has increased.

• Lone mothers comprised 83% of lone parents in both 1986 and 2001. Lone mothers tended to have younger children living with them than lone fathers. In 2001, 22% of lone mothers had at least one child aged 0-4 years living with them, compared with 9% of lone fathers. In 56% of male one-parent families the children present were all aged 15 years or over, compared with 39% of female one-parent families.

• In June 1993, lone parent families comprised 9% of all families. By 2003, that figure had increased by six percentage points, to 15%.

• In 1993, lone father families comprised 11% of all lone parent families. By 2003, that figure had increased to 16%.

• In 2000-01, lone parent female mean income was only 86% that of lone parent males.

• Surveys show that most sole parents want to work but have difficulties finding work that fits with their family responsibilities. They also face work barriers such as affordable quality childcare, family-friendly work agreements and work places, effective tax rates, and higher education debt repayments. Sole parents also have to battle with the emotional and physical stress juggling family responsibilities and work. They must factor the cost of working (clothes, transport, childcare) against the loss of benefits which taper off very quickly.

• Sole parents are the most active in seeking employment of all welfare recipients. 51% are already in the workforce in some capacity (either full-time, part-time or casual). 62% of those work full-time. Over 70% of those with adolescent children and 35% of those with children under school age are in paid work or education.

• Children of sole parents are likely to be worse off financially, but emotionally they are better off than children of two parent families, or children in shared care arrangements, where there are high levels of conflict. In terms of school and other performance, they rate with their peers from similar income levels.

• The majority of sole parent families are formed by the breakdown of marriages (70%) rather than births outside marriage (excluding de facto relationships). Almost 18% of single parents are widows.

• The average duration of a sole parent who receives a parenting payment (single) is 3.3 years. Sole parents are the most active in seeking employment of all welfare recipients.

• 97% of children whose parents have divorced are in a sole-care arrangement: living with one parent more than 70% of the time. Almost half (42%) spend time with the other parent at least fortnightly, but a third (36%) saw the other parent once a year or less, some never.

• Research confirms that children develop best in families formed by both biological parents in a low-conflict marriage. Both parts of this equation are important.

• Children of divorced parents were almost twice as likely to have behavioural problems, perform less well in school, use drugs and suffer from depression and lower incomes in adulthood. But ... the risks come not from being a single parent’s child, but from being in a family that separated _ and therefore a family more likely to have had conflict, financial problems, mental health or abuse issues, and poor relationships, both before and after separation.

• Between 1995 and 2001 only a small minority of single mothers claiming benefits _ 18% _ left the welfare system entirely. A similar proportion claimed a single parents pension throughout the entire period. The majority of the women _ about 66% _ moved on and off welfare during the period. But for most of them, the time off welfare was brief, often little more than a month.

• Three-quarters of children in Australia from divorced families show no resulting negative effects. About 25% of children in divorced and remarried families, and 10% of children in non-divorced families, show behavioural problems. While children often find their parents’ divorce to be very painful, they cope and nearly all go on to become competent adults.

• Only 16% of divorced couples in Australia have the children living with each parent for more than 30% of the time, and close to 80% of children in separated families live with their mothers.