Report finds single mothers are struggling in California
February 2, 2012
According to SingleParentCenter.net, there are approximately 14 million single parents in the U.S., caring for 21.6 million children.
The website reports that about 80 percent of single mothers are employed outside of the home, with 50 percent working full-time and 30 percent working part-time. In addition, as many as 27 percent of single mothers live in poverty with their children.
Now, a new study conducted by the Women's Foundation of California suggests that many of the state's single mothers are struggling to make ends meet.
The "Falling Behind" report reveals that only six out of ten single moms in California were working in 2010. KGO-TV News reports that that's the smallest proportion since 1996.
"As California inches out of the Great Recession, the state's women, particularly single mothers, are still struggling," the news source reports. "[The study] reveals that men are finding jobs at a faster rate than women."
The lack of jobs isn't the only problem single mothers in California and elsewhere are facing. The economic downturn has caused many states to cut funding for assistance programs many mothers and their families count on for financial assistance.
"Single mothers have lost more jobs than anybody else ... at the same time the safety net has been shredded," Jean Ross, executive director of the California Budget Project, told the Stockton Record.
According to the newspaper, the report also found that employed single mothers are now working two hours less each week. These women now average a 36.6 hour work week, meaning that they are losing out on additional income because they are trying to balance the demands of raising a family with working.
Single mothers who want to increase their marketability in a difficult job market and help ensure their family's financial independence should consider getting a college degree.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2010, individuals with a bachelor's degree made an average of $1,038 per week, compared to $767 per week for those with an associate's degree, $712 per week for those with some college (but no degree) and $626 per week for those with a high school diploma.
While paying for a college education while supporting a family may seem impossible to some, single mothers should know that they may qualify for various single mother scholarships, grants for single parents and other financial aid for moms that can help them pay for school while being financially responsible for their families.
