One in six families with children under 18 in the UK is headed by a single parent, yet portrayals of single parents in the public eye are often one-sided, focusing on challenges and negative stories. Many suggest that single parents are all young mothers, living in poverty, stress and regret.

Why Single Parents Matter takes a different approach, focusing on supporting the wellbeing of single parents, by examining the evidence behind the headlines and drawing on interviews with single parents from a broad range of backgrounds. The book challenges negative stories, highlights the stresses, triumphs and perseverance of single parenting, and explores the ways we can all better support the single parents in our lives.