The Double Challenges of Single Parents Raising Children with Disabilities

Abstract

This paper sheds light on the health-related, economic, and social well-being of single parents of children with disabilities, a population often overlooked in research. Much literature examines single parenthood and child disability independently and generally finds negative consequences of experiencing either. Yet, little is known about the well-being of parents at the intersections of single parenthood and raising a child with a disability. Drawing on data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study, the study compares the health-related, economic, and social well-being of single parents of children with disabilities to that of single parents of non-disabled children and partnered parents. The findings show that single parents of children with disabilities experience significantly worse mental and physical health, higher rates of poverty and lower employment rates. These challenges are compounded by the lack of appropriate childcare and limited support from non-residential parents and extended family members, which further constrains parents’ ability to work. This study investigates a neglected social group and contributes to the literature by integrating two separate strands of research—single parenthood and child disability—and identifying the unique disadvantages that stand at their intersection.