News Release
Lone Parents: The Barriers To Employment
Lone parents want to work – but the system is loaded against them, according to new research from the University of Ulster.
The research, prepared by Ulster expert Dr Ann Marie Gray of the School of Social Policy, and published by lone parent support organisation, Gingerbread Northern Ireland, highlights the barriers to employment faced by the lone parents.
Key findings from the report are:
- lone parents in Northern Ireland are highly motivated to work
- they face a range of structural barriers including lack of appropriate skills to ensure entry to and progression in the labour market, lack of affordable childcare and the complexity of the benefits system
- the ‘Possibilities’ project has highlighted what can be achieved with appropriate support and how opportunities for lone parents can be improved through effective partnership working
Dr Gray said: “We know that many lone parents in Northern Ireland want to work but they face disadvantage in the labour market due to lack of suitable qualifications and childcare.
"We need to make sure that they have access to appropriate advice, training and support to allow them to find sustainable jobs which will provide long-term security for their families.
"Lone parent families have also been disadvantaged by the lack of an integrated childcare strategy and this needs to be urgently addressed.”
The report was produced by the ‘Possibilities’ Partnership, which includes Gingerbread NI, the Department for Employment and Learning (DELNI), the University of Ulster and employment matching service, Gems NI.
The partners were also involved in piloting an innovative training approach to supporting lone parents interested in returning to work. ‘Possibilities’ Project Co-ordinator, Karen McCann said a partnership approach was the way forward:
“Working in partnership, we provided a package of support services including life coaching, skills training and advice. Lone parents taking part also had access to childcare and work tasters with local employers.
“This model proved so successful that this help is now being made available through the mainstream Pathways to Work for Lone Parents programme which we provide in partnership with DELNI.”
Speaking at the Stormont launch of the research, Anne Sweeney, Assistant Director of Gingerbread Northern Ireland said: “Increasingly work is being seen as the best route out of poverty for lone parents so it is essential that we know about barriers preventing them from having equality of opportunity when it comes to getting a job. Gingerbread will use the findings of this project to influence policy to create greater equality of opportunity for lone parents who choose to work.”
The event was attended by over one hundred key policy makers from the public and voluntary sectors, including MLAs and senior representatives from a number of government departments.
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
1. There are 92,000 one parent families in Northern Ireland
2. One in four families with children is a one parent family
3. One parent families are twice as likely to be poor as two parent families
‘Possibilities’ was developed as part of the EU EQUAL initiative, a Europe-wide programme which tests new ways of tackling discrimination and inequality experienced by those in work and those looking for a job.
The report and an executive summary are available from www.gingerbreadni.org
For further information, please contact:
David Young
Telephone: 028 90366074
Email: David Young
