SINGLE PARENTS OF WELFARE STATEThe Position of Single Parents in Finland, Germany and United States

Indicators of Welfare Related to Single-Parent Families

Family Type The partnership patterns are changing and the number of single-parent families is constantly growing.

Employment The parents’ employment status is statistically the single biggest poverty risk factor.

Income Level/Poverty Rate Changes in poverty rates are a sign of relative success or failure of the welfare state.

Gender Equality Most single parents are female in all the sample countries and across the world.

Esping-Andersen: Welfare Regimes

Poverty/Inequality Employment Gender Social security

Social-Democratic

Corporatist

Liberal

Low

Generally high employment and

low unemployment

High female employment facilitated by child care Redistributive

Medium

Lower levels of employment;

persistent unemployment

Low female employment levels, with benefits to

encourage mothers to stay at home

Earnings-related

High

High levels of employment and

low unemployment

High part-time female employment, but lack of childcare provision limits opportunities for full-time

employment

Emphasis on means- tested benefits paid at low levels and

more recently in-work assistance

Hypothesis Based on the Typical Characteristics of Welfare Regimes

How do the selected sample countries perform in fulfilling the purpose of welfare state? How do the countries’ policies correspond with Esping-Andersen’s typography of the regimes?

Finland Expectation: High. Social-democratic regime should support single-parent families with subsidies, supportive social policies and daycare arrangements.

Germany Expectation: Mediocre. The corporatist regime is likely to provide good benefits for stay-at-home parents, but the social policies are not expected to support mothers’ labour force participation.

United States Expectation: Poor. Typically a liberal regime does not offer any cash benefits, possibly some support for finding employment. Childcare is likely to be expensive and inflexible.

Rate of Single-Parent Families in Sample Countries

There is a notable upwards trend in the rate of single-parent families in almost every country.

OECD estimates that this trend will continue in all countries except Germany.

Governments are forced to review their social policies to adjust to the changing partnership patterns. 0

7.5

15

22.5

30

1992 1995 2000 2005 2008 2011

Finland Germany United States

SOCIAL-DEMOCRATIC REGIME: FINLANDIncome, Employment & Subsidies

Relative Child Poverty Ratesin Finland

In Finland and Nordic countries in general, poverty is not a problem for the majority of families with two parents.

0

17.5

35

52.5

70

FISP FI2P DESP DE2P USSP US 2P

Not counting transfer paymentsCounting transfer payments

Finland: Employment of Single Parents

Labour-force participation in Finland differs from other Nordic countries:

Women’s labour force participation lower (72%)

No strong tradition of part-time work

Subjective right to daycare for all children under 6 - reduced fees / free for low-income families.

44 weeks parental leave entitlement

0

20

40

60

80

100

Mid-2000’s 2007

Single Parents Single Mothers

Employment rate of single parents & single mothers

Finland: Specific Policies to Support Sole-parent families

Name EligibilityWork

testing /Conditional

Income or assett test

Max rate of payments

Reduced amounts

FinlandFinland

Supplement in family

allowance

Cares for a child less

than 17 yearsNone No

EUR 46,60 per child per

monthNot reduced

Advance on maintenance

Cares for a child less

than 17 yearsNone No EUR 129,91/

monthNot reduced

Attitudes Towards Single-Parentsin Finland

The state’s treatment of unmarried parents, widows and separated parents affects the attitudes

Mothers more likely to be questioned about their choices than fathers

A single parent who chooses home care instead of working will easily be evaluated much more critically then one of the parents in two-parents families making the same decision.

0

10

20

30

40

50

Agree marriage is an out-of-date institutionA home with a mother and father not vitalDisapproves voluntary single motherhood

CORPORATIST REGIME: GERMANYIncome, Employment, Subsidies & Attitudes

Relative Child Poverty Ratesin Germany

In year 2000 lone parents’ monthly net household income:

Lone-parent households €1777 euro

39% of single parents earn < €1300/month

~50% of single parents earn €1300-€2600 / month

Couples with children €3499 0

17.5

35

52.5

70

FISP FI2P DESP DE2P USSP US 2P

Not counting transfer paymentsCounting transfer payments

Germany: Employment of Single Parents

In western Germany, only 16% of kindergartens have all-day classes, while in the east the figure is 71%

Germany boasts the highest duration of the job-protected leave entitlement of 162 weeks

Paid time off for 4-week annual leave, 12 holiday days, paid sickdays for jobholder & child sickness. 0

20

40

60

80

100

Mid-2000’s 2007

Single Parents Single Mothers

Employment rate of single parents & single mothers

Germany: Specific Policies to Support Sole-parent families

Attitudes Towards Single-Parentsin Germany

Single parents are often confronted with negative imputations and reservations especially at work place

However, they evaluate their own situation mostly as positive

They are less satisfied with their life in general than married parents

They often need to rely on the help of family and friends

0

10

20

30

40

50

Finland Germany

Agree marriage is an out-of-date institutionA home with a mother and father not vitalDisapproves voluntary single motherhood

LIBERAL REGIME: UNITED STATESIncome, Employment, Subsidies & Attitudes

Relative Child Poverty Ratesin United States

If employed U.S. single mothers earned as much as comparable men, their annual earnings would increase 17% and their poverty rate would fall by half.

0

17.5

35

52.5

70

FISP FI2P DESP DE2P USSP US 2P

Not counting transfer paymentsCounting transfer payments

United States: Employment of Single Parents

Highest rate of single parent employment.

The federal government does provide some funding for child care subsidies for low income parents, which improves single mother employment rates.

Only 12-week unpaid maternity leave entitlement. No other paid time off for holidays or sick days - some companies provide paid leave voluntarily.

0

20

40

60

80

100

Mid-2000’s 2007

Single Parents Single Mothers

Employment rate of single parents & single mothers in US

United States: Specific Policies to Support Sole-parent families

Financial Assistance and Other Support Available for Single Parents in the US

Financial assistance available for children under 18 on certain conditions

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program or TANF (not specific to single-parent families)

Food stamps

Low cost health insurance for all children

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Financial assistance available if other parent fails to pay or pays inconsistently

Job training programs and educational grants to aid single mothers’ employment

The Section 8 program - financial assistance for housing costs

LocalGovernment

Attitudes Towards Single-Parentsin United States

Never-married custodial mothers are viewed negatively in terms of personal characteristics and parenting abilities.

Americans find it easier to accept other changes in family structure (gay couples, cohabiting, interracial, working mothers) than single motherhood.

0

10

20

30

40

50

Finland Germany US

Agree marriage is an out-of-date institutionA home with a mother and father not vitalDisapproves voluntary single motherhood

http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/02/16/the-public-renders-a-split-verdict-on-changes-in-family-structure/?src=family-interactivehttp://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08952833.2012.648121

CONCLUSIONSFinland, Germany & United States

Conclusions

Finland is not a typical example of Nordic countries, but roughly corresponds to Esping-Andersen’s social-democratic regime. Finland’s social policies encourage labour-market participation of mothers of small children through universal provision of social services and employee rights, extensive maternity leave systems and daycare services.

US sole parent families have the highest poverty rate despite having the highest rate of single-parent employment. This can be explained by single-parents typically holding low-wage jobs. The lack of basic economic security and measures that would help balance work and family life put a great strain on single parents in the US.

The main problem in Germany is the lack of child care arrangements. Also the nation’s attitudes are reflected in the policies: the system does not support single-parent family model. This ties in with Esping-Andersen’s description of the corporatial welfare regime model.

THANK YOU!Laura Browne, Ulrike Gansen, Anna-Kaisa Keinänen,

Sari Leppänen, Satu Sironen, Lotta Tiihonen

Sources:Stephens, M & Fitzpatrick, S: Welfare Regimes, Housing Systems and Homelessness: How are they linked?  FEANTSA, 2007.http://eohw.horus.be/files/freshstart/European%20Journal%20of%20Homelessness/Volume%20One/EJH_Vol1_Thinkpiece1.pdf Fetched 17.4.2013

OECD Family Database. OECD, Paris, 2012. http://www.oecd.org/social/soc/oecdfamilydatabase.htm Fetched 17.4.2013

Separation of divorce in the family. KELA website, fetched 17.4.2013.http://www.kela.fi/in/internet/english.nsf/NET/030812101122HL?OpenDocument

Men and Women in Finland 2011. Statistics Finland, 2011.http://www.stat.fi/tup/julkaisut/tiedostot/julkaisuluettelo/yyti_womefi_201100_2012_6058_net.pdf Fetched 17.4.2013

Perheet 2011. Statistics Finland, 2011.http://www.stat.fi/til/perh/2011/ Fetched 17.4.2013

Forssen, K., Laukkanen, A. & Ritakallio, V.: Demographic Trends in Finland. University of Turku, 2002.http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/research/nordic/finlanddemo.pdf Fetched 17.4.2013

Nielsen, J (Ed.): Single Parents in the Nordic Countries. Nordic Social-Statistical Committee, 2004.http://nososco-eng.nom-nos.dk/filer/publikationer/03e.pdf Fetched 17.4.2013

Kröger, T. (Ed.): New kinds of families, new kinds of social care SOCCARE Project. European Commission, Directorate-General for Research, 2004.ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/citizens/docs/kina21322ensfinal_soccare.pdf Fetched 17.4.2013

Steiner, V. & Wrolich, K.: Introducing Family Tax Splitting in Germany: How Would It Affect the Income Distribution and Work Incentives? Institute for the Study of Labor, 2006. http://ftp.iza.org/dp2245.pdf Fetched 17.4.2013

Despite Declining Birth Rate: More Children Living with Single Parents. Federal Institute of Population Research, 2013.http://www.bib-demografie.de/EN/News/Chart_Month/Archive/Charts/2013_02_single_parents.html Fetched 17.4.2013

Falling Behind: Working Women in Germany Grapple with Limited Child-Care Options. Knowledge@Wharton, 2007.http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/articlepdf/1694.pdf?CFID=89850856&CFTOKEN=57173743&jsessionid=a830c395c6912775eeefc1d215312d1b4244 Fetched 17.4.2013

Alleinerziehende in Deutschland –Lebenssituationen und Lebenswirklich­ keiten von Müttern und Kindern. Bundesministerium fur Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend, 2012.http://www.bmfsfj.de/RedaktionBMFSFJ/Broschuerenstelle/Pdf-Anlagen/Monitor-Familienforschung-Ausgabe-28,property=pdf,bereich=bmfsfj,sprache=de,rwb=true.pdf Fetched 17.4.2013

Sources:Mather, M: U.S. Children in Single-Mother Families. Population Reference Bureau, 2010.http://www.prb.org/pdf10/single-motherfamilies.pdf Fetched 17.4.2013

Women and Poverty, Single Parents. Legal Momentum website. http://www.legalmomentum.org/our-work/women-and-poverty/single-parents.html Fetched 17.4.2013

Casey, T & Maldonado, L: Worst Off – Single-Parent Families in the United States, A Cross-National Comparison of Single Parenthood in the U.S. and Sixteen Other High-Income Countries. Legal Momentum, 2012.http://www.legalmomentum.org/our-work/women-and-poverty/resources--publications/worst-off-single-parent.pdf Fetched 17.4.2013

Hacke, C: Being a Single Parent: An Almost Impossible Balancing Act. Goethe Institut, 2010.http://www.goethe.de/ges/soz/soz/en6973159.htm Fetched 17.4.2013

Single-parent Households, 10 Countries, Selected Years. Childstats.org, fetched 17.4.2013.http://www.childstats.gov/datatables/single.asp

US Census Bureau: Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2007 http://www.census.gov/prod/2009pubs/p60-237.pdf Fetched 17.4.2013

CURRENT POPULATION REPORTS Projections of the Number of Households and Families in the United States: 1995 to 2010. U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, BUREAU OF THE CENSUS, 1996. http://www.census.gov/prod/1/pop/p25-1129.pdf. Fetched 18.4.2013

Households and Families: 2000. US Census Bureau, 2001.http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-8.pdf. Fetched 18.4.2013

Doing Better for Families. Sole parents, public policy, employment and poverty. OECD, 2012. http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/social-issues-migration-health/doing-better-for-families/sole-parents-public-policy-employment-and-poverty_9789264098732-8-en. Fetched 18.4.2013http://www.oecd.org/social/family/doingbetterforfamilies.htmhttp://www.oecd.org/social/family/47701118.pdfhttp://www.oecd.org/social/family/47852162.pdfDoing Better for Families. Child Well-Being and Sole-Parent Family Structure in the OECD: An Analysis. OECD, 2012. http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/social-issues-migration-health/child-well-being-and-sole-parent-family-structure-in-the-oecd_225407362040

DeJean, S; McGeorgeb, C & Stone Carlson, T: Attitudes Toward Never-Married Single Mothers and Fathers: Does Gender Matter? Journal of Feminist Family Therapy Vol 24, Issue 2, 2012.http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08952833.2012.648121. Fetched 18.4.2013

Morin, R: The Public Renders a Split Verdict On Changes in Family Structure. Pew Research Center, 2011.http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/02/16/the-public-renders-a-split-verdict-on-changes-in-family-structure/?src=family-interactive