David Blunkett wrote in the Sun last week (august 30,
All too often girls come to my constituency surgery demanding a house for themselves and their baby.This just isn't on. If the family - and often their mothers are single parents too - can't or won't look after the offspring then we will simply have to go back to the idea of hostel accomodation.
The "give us a house" mentality has to become a thing of the past and be replaced by "give us respect".
It may sound harsh, but blaming the changes in society won't wash.
So there is a former senior minister calling for hostels for unmarried mothers instead of council flats. It is a sign of the changing times. I remember once suggesting to a Daily Telegraph features editor that offering free flats to unmarried mothers had substantially increased the numbers of children born out of wedlock. Out of concern for children, we should cease to do it. Possibly we should offer hostels instead but it was essential that single parenting was an unattractive route for a girl to take (as it naturally would be if the government did not get involved). Only that way would we reduce the number of children brought up in a way that makes them more likely to be unhappy, more likely to be abused, more likely to under-achieve academically and - indeed - more likely to go wrong and suffer in every possible way.
The features editor of that Conservative Party supporting newspaper was shocked. Now a senior Labour Party figure suggests it. It is progress of a sort - but it is painfully slow.
Further on, David Blunkett refers to a survey of 13 European Union countries "this week" which "tried to link the increase in lone parents with the rise in their benefits." He adds "it is true that lone mothers here are given more financial help than all but one of the other countries surveyed".
It is no surprise if the survey suggests a link between subsidies for lone parenting and increases in the incidence of it. But it would be interesting if it was actually commissioned by the European Union. And, in any case, I would be glad if anyone knows of this survey and could direct me to it.
Posted by James Bartholomew • Indexed in Housing • Parenting • Welfare benefits
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Isn't it weird how it turns out we've been right all these years?
Two books I recommend reading which illuminate this area (for those who haven't read them):
1. In Our Hands, by Charles Murray.
This describes in compelling terms how 'unwanted' pregnancies might be reduced by rejigging the welfare state. Very interesting.
2. It's Your Time You're Wasting, by Frank Chalk.
Only just published, I got mine off Amazon last week and couldn't put it down.
A modern British teacher explains how the products of the welfare state aren't being taught in our schools. Chilling, and funny at the same time, which is rare.
Posted by: thenorthernsoulboy at September 4, 2006 03:48 PM
Many single mothers are not alone, with many co-habitating with the father of their children. The absent father is often not registered on the voters roll or disclosed to the DSS / CSA.
This is not the sole preserve of those on sink estates but used by many unmarried couples. The abuse of the system is not restricted to DSS benefits but also Tax Credits in which the mother will take a part time job for the minimum 16 hours per week.
The mismatch between census population figures and those registered for publically funded services (e.g health & education) must be accounted for in a large part by the non-disclosue of partners.
Posted by: JimmyMac at September 5, 2006 10:43 PM
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James,
The research was reported in the Sunday Times 8 days ago. See:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2330276.html
Cheers.
Posted by: Phil Taylor at September 4, 2006 03:36 PM