Lone or alone? : a qualitative study of lone mothers on low income with reference to support in their everyday lives

Abstract

The thesis invites women to voice their perceptions and experiences on being lone mothers,
\nin receipt of Income Support and what 'support' means to them in their daily lives as
\ncarers of pre-school children. This qualitative study is set against firstly, the backdrop of
\nthe increasing numbers of lone mothers and their reliance on income support. Also
\nprevalent was a negative discourse around lone motherhood. Secondly, lone mothers were
\nencountering the consequences of a restructuring of social and welfare policy and practice,
\nwith the changing boundaries between public and private responsibilities impacting on their
\ndaily lives. Thirdly, within this changing socio-economic and political landscape, both
\nneo-liberal and 'third way' governments identify kinship as the appropriate resource for
\nfamilies in need. The study draws data and analysis from the perceptions and experiences
\nof, initially, thirty-three women in five focus groups and more particularly, from thirtyseven
\nlone mothers on Income Support. The findings of the thesis highlight the qualitative
\ndifference between alone and not alone, lone mothers. This key, but previously underresearched
\ndistinction, is shown to turn on the quality and consistency of support. It is the
\ndegrees of availability or lack of social and material support which is found to be crucial in
\nmediating, moderating or amplifying the aloneness of the lone mother. The research
\nillustrates how this qualitative difference in women's lives cannot be captured within
\ncategories of quantitative data. Emphasised is how different forms of support serve as
\ngateways through which other forms of support are accessed. What is argued is that those
\nlacking support may face being multiply disadvantaged and experience cumulative levels of
\nsupport deprivation which formal support may do little to alleviate. Lastly, while all forms
\nof support are identified as being mutually reinforcing, child-care appears to be
\nparticularly pivotal. As a central gateway to accessing other support, it directly enhances
\nwell being and the capability to care.