# data[].attributes.body
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2788545/one-four-british-children-live-lone-mother-father.html

# data[].attributes.body
Changing attitudes:
The stigma attached to children of unmarried mothers has reduced considerably. The term 'bastard' is less commonly used, meaning illegitimate. There is far less pressure for single mothers to get married. The term 'shotgun wedding', performed within the 1950/60s, is not heard of today. Changing attitudes towards lone parenthood reflects growing acceptance of the diversity in family life. This makes lone parenthood a more likely choice. However, it is i not to exaggerate changing attitudes. Lone parents and their children are often still seen as second class families.

# data[].attributes.body
Lone parenthood is only possible if individuals are able to support both themselves and their children.
Most lone mothers live in poverty. Often, the low pay levels of many 'women's jobs' plus the costs of childcare mean that lone mothers are better off on state benefits than in a paid employment. However, evidence suggests that government New Deal schemes are helping some lone parents at their children out of poverty.

# data[].attributes.body
Choice:
Very few women give lone parenthood as their first option.. This means that' the vast majority would prefer to raise their children with a partner. Berthound et al (1999) studied that only 1 out of 44 lone mothers had deliberately decided to become a lone mother from the onset

# data[].attributes.body
Non-cohabiting never-married mothers:
Along with half of lone parents being a ingle lone mothers, non-cohabiting never-married mothers are the other half. Their children were born outside of marriage and cohabitation. Their numbers have increased rapidly since the mid-1990's.

# data[].attributes.body
In Britain, since the early 1970's lone parent families as a proportion of all families with dependent children, have steadily increased - from 7% in 1972 to 24% in 2005.
During the 1960s divorce overtook death as the main source of lone parent families. From then until the mid 80's a large part of the increase was due to marital breakup - the separation or divorce of a married couple. After 1986 the number of single lone mothers grew at a faster rate. This group is made up of one ) never married cohabitating women whose partnership ended after their child was bon and 2) never married women who were not cohabitating when their child was born.

# data[].attributes.body
Since 1970 lone parent families have steadily increased from 7% in 1972 to 24% in 2005.

From the 1960s to the 1980s a large part of lone parent families were a result of marital breakdown. After that, it increased further, although many of the mothers were never married cohabiting women whose partnership ended after the child was born or never-married women who were not cohabiting when the child was born. Each of these types account for about half of lone mothers.

# data[].attributes.body
Cohabitation breakup:
The number of marriages is on the decline and cohabiting couples are on the increase. Since 1986, the number of single lone mothers has increased faster than any other lone parents. By 2005, 45% of all lone mothers were single. Half became lone mothers as a result of a breakup in their cohabitation. Haskey (2001) suggested that ohabiting couples with children are twice as likely to end the relationship than married couples with children.

# data[].attributes.body
Lone parents are a diverse group, this depends on the way they become a lone parent. The various routes into lone parenthood are as follows;
-SEPARATED AND DIVORCED LONE PARENTS: the ending of a marriage, between either separation or divorce
-SINGLE LONE PARENTS: the ending of cohabitation when the partners separate
-SINGLE LONE PARENTS: birth to a never-married, non-cohibating woman
-WIDOWED LONE PARENTS: death of partner(if a husband dies leaving his wife with dependant children

# data[].attributes.body
Some parents' views of becoming a lone parent, was not usually the lone mothers or fathers first choice option. The majority of parents would prefer to raise their children with a partner in a happy relationship.
However, most choose to become lone parents. This is because many decide to believe that it is better to become a lone parent rather than endure an unhappy and destructive relationship.
Many parents choose to keep their child and raise it themselves. They see this as preferable to abortion, to adoption or to cohabiting with or marrying the child's other parent.

Although being a lone parent is far from easy, it does have its benefits. Sharpe, 1984 quoted "I'm a bloody sight better off than many women who are married and have to run around after the husband as well as the kids".

# data[].attributes.body
A mother or father living without a partner, with their dependent child or children. The child must be never married and aged either under 16 or 16 to under 19 and undertaking full-time education.
The above definition isn't as straight forward as it seem. What about a father who does not live with the mother and child but is in regular contact and takes part in 'family' descisions and also provides for the family. Is he still a member of the family?

A number of separated and divorced couples attempt to share the responsibility for raising their children.This is known as co -parenting or joint parenting. It is difficult to see such arrangements as simply lone-parent families. (Neale & Smart 1997)

Faced with this kind of problem, some sociologists refer to it as a 'lone parent hoursehold'