Almost half of single parents experience judgement or exclusion because they are raising their children alone, findings show.
Data from the Central Statistics Office shows that 48% of single parents often experience judgemental attitudes or exclusion because they are a lone parent.
The Life At Home CSO Pulse Survey found that more than two thirds of single parents, 68%, are often under financial pressure and more than half, 59%, feel lonely most of the time.
However, three quarters, 74%, have someone to count on if they have a serious problem.
CEO of One Family, the national organisation for one-parent families, Karen Kiernan said many single parents feel there is no place for them in society.
She said: “Unfortunately these statistics aren’t news for us. In our work with parents, we see the barriers that are put in place for parents every day from housing, education, and social welfare to access to vaccination centres.
"It seems our society is designed for two-parent families and anyone outside of this is excluded.
“What is deeply saddening is 48% of lone parents still report they often experience judgemental attitudes or exclusion as a lone parent.
"Government needs to use the evidence in front of it to improve the lives of lone parents and their children in Budget 2022.
"They also need to change Article 41.3 of the Constitution on the definition of the family so that all families feel included in our society so any notion of stigma or shame is ended.”
