The difficulties of the 1.8 million single-parent families in France
According to INSEE; "in 2015, 15% of 30/45 year olds live alone, representing more than 26% of households in this age category. In this context, single-parent families represent 7.5% of urban households.
According to INSEE; "in 2015, 15% of 30/45 year olds live alone, representing more than 26% of households in this age group. In this context, single-parent families account for 7.5% of urban households.
Furthermore, a particular type of single-parent families will develop over the next decade. These are those where the parent is over 55 years old. Their number is expected to increase by one third in 2015. Thus, they will represent nearly 30% of single-parent families compared to 24% in 1999."
Today, more than 1.8 million families are single-parent families. In 85% of cases, it is a mother and her children whose wage income is more uncertain or even non-existent. Often in a less favorable position in the labor market, they must overcome both the constraints related to their situation as single mothers. Childcare in particular is a constraint. Moreover, they face the impossibility of relying on a partner's income to meet the family's needs. The same observation applies to men who live without a partner with their children. While three quarters of fathers in single-parent families have full-time employment, they are much more often unemployed than men in couples with children. They also report being unemployed more often.
The housing-for-services solution
However, everyone knows that taking care of children, especially when they are young, requires presence. For parents who cannot afford the help of a nanny, this represents a handicap in their professional life. It is difficult for them to find a job with suitable hours and proper pay. The solution probably lies in housing in exchange for services. Indeed, if a Host-parent can house a supportive Cohabitant in exchange for childcare or picking up the children, they can calmly pursue a full-time job. This allows them to have better pay. The lack of resources too often plunges single-parent families into financial distress. This situation could be alleviated by solidarity actions such as Housing in exchange for Services.