RTE Radio’s Tubridy Show heard from some fathers who parent alone about how they manage parenting – and the dating game – One Family client John McCann told his story. Listen here to join the debate….

On 27 January The Tubridy Show on RTE Radio One heard from some mothers who parent alone about the trials and tribulations of the dating game, One Family client Deborah told her story and got such a great reaction that they plan to do a show on dating for dads soon – to listen to the show click here…

Designers John Rocha and Louise Kennedy lend their Support for One Family’s Labels of Love Designer Clothes Sale

If you want to pick up a bargain from designers such as John Rocha and Louise Kennedy and support the chairty One Family at the same time – drop into the Labels of Love designer clothes sale at Boston College, 42 St Stephen’s Green on Friday 19 February from 5pm to 7pm for after work shoppers, and on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st from 9am to 6pm. (more…)

A discussion of the Law Reform Commission report on legal aspects of family relationships

A One Family Seminar

Candy Murphy, Policy & Research Manager of One Family said: ‘while we continue to welcome the development  of effective supports for lone parents aimed at reducing the unacceptably high rates of poverty and social exclusion in one-parent families, we would like reforms to be grounded in good policy and evidence. We remain very  concerned at any proposal to introduce mandatory work requirements for lone parents particularly in the current economic climate and in the continuing absence of adequate child care and other supports. (more…)

One Family , the leading provider of specialist support services for one-parent families in Ireland today expresses its concern that lone parents on welfare will face further cuts in their income as a result of Budget 2010. One-parent families are already experiencing four times the level of poverty found in the general population and the measures introduced today along with those introduced in the last two budgets will , in One Family’s view , increase this inequality. (more…)

Club di Dublino – an Italian business community association formed to promote friendship within the Italian community in Ireland and between the Italian and Irish people –  chose One Family to be the recipient of monies raised at their annual fundraising dinner which was held at Trinity College Dublin on Thursday 22 October last. The guest speaker at the event was Senator David Norris and the Honorary President of Club di Dublino, H.E., Italian Ambassador Mr Valerio Augusto Astraldi, was guest of honour.

For the photographs of the evening, please take a look here.

See the press release here.

Lend a hand? Maybe two?

One Family, Ireland ’s leading support organisation for one-parent families is looking for your help!

We are looking for lots and lots of people to help us with our bag packing in major Supermarket chains throughout Dublin. Get your friends involved for a few hours at the weekend, to help fundraise for this worthwhile cause. Everyone that takes part will receive One 4 All gift vouchers as a thank you from us, and the more you help the more you get! (more…)

Italian business community rallies to support…

Today One Family welcomed the Law Reform Commission’s Consultation Paper on the Family Rights and Responsibilities of Fathers and Grandparents supporting their views that there should be a stronger focus within family law on parental responsibility in the best interests of the child and that the rights of unmarried fathers should be improved. (more…)

Speaking at the event to celebrate the merger today at Dublin Castle the Chair of the National Economic and Social Forum, Dr. Maureen Gaffney, said ‘At a time when economic difficulties are causing such strain for Not For Profit organisations supporting those in our society who are most excluded it is heartening to see two respected organisations that work with the growing number of one-parent families in Ireland pool their resources in order to meet these needs more effectively. This strategic merger will enhance One Family’s ability to access support as they can now offer a more effective and expanded service for those facing increasing challenges parenting alone or in shared parenting situations.’ (more…)

2009 Flora Mini Marathon participants did us proud!

Casting your vote : together we  can* make a difference

One Family has worked and lobbied on behalf of one-parent families for 35 years.  Many of the issues we’ve fought for in the past have become basic rights in Ireland but there is still a long way to go.  Life for many one-parent families remains a battle to overcome prejudice, pressures and poverty.

can* One Family’s Campaigning and Advocacy Network brings together those who want to make Ireland a place where one-parent families no longer face inequality, poverty or discrimination and where all one-parent families can access their basic human rights.  The network includes nearly 1000 members of one-parent families, those who work with them and those who care about the rights of one-parent families. (more…)

A day for everyone! One Family would like to encourage each family to celebrate their lives as a family on this Friday (15 May) – the UN International Day of the Family. One Family is Ireland ’s leading support organisation for people parenting alone and sharing parenting. This is the sixth year One Family has held special events to mark the UN International Day of the Family. (more…)

Children must pay for a celtic tiger they never saw

One Family, the leading provider of specialist support services for one-parent families in Ireland , says that reports regarding the Government’s possible u-turn are very worrying. If child benefit payments are cut regardless of means this will increase already high rates of poverty in one-parent families.  Such families currently have a poverty rate of more than four times the national average according to the EU.

One-parent families have already experienced significant falls in income this year  through a combination of reduced employment opportunities and hours of work, increased difficulties in securing and providing maintenance, higher income levies at lower entry points, reduced rent supplement and through the abolition of the Early Childcare Supplement.  The abolition of the Christmas bonus will also have a very negative effect on many lone parents and their children.

Candy Murphy , Policy Manager, One Family, said ‘One Family totally opposes reported plans for an across the board cut in child benefit. Such a cut would significantly increase already unacceptably high rates of child poverty in Ireland affecting 10% of all children and a significantly higher number in one-parent families. Such a cut if introduced must be compensated for by a significant increase in targeted payments to children living in poverty.

‘One Family calls on the government to introduce a  second tier of income support for children for low income families that will be employment-neutral as recommended first by NESC[1] as far back as 2003 before any decision is made to cut child benefit.’ Ms Murphy concluded by saying: ‘2010 is the European Year against poverty and social exclusion – will catapulting more vulnerable families into poverty be Ireland’s main contribution towards this year?’

(1] In its report “An Investment in Quality: Services, Inclusion and Enterprise ” (March 2003) the National Economic and Social Council ( NESC) stated that:

“the Council believes that Ireland has still not found the best package of income support for children in low-income households. The CDIs (child dependent increase – now Qualified Child Allowance) are steadily losing their value for poor households; CB (Child Benefit )is not solely focused as a instrument for tackling child poverty – while it undoubtedly relieves some of the economic pressures in poor households, the scale of resources that would need to be channelled through it for it alone to eliminate poverty is not feasible; FIS (Family Income Supplement) benefits only children whose parents are in employment and the same is true for child additions to tax exemption limits; there are difficulties and delays that arise as families attempt the transition from receipt of CDIs to receipt of FIS. The Council is also aware that, while parental employment has been the single most important cause of the welcome reductions in child income poverty over the last decade, the same strategy is unlikely to be as successful in rescuing the significant number of children who remain in poverty. The design of a second tier of income support for children in poor families that would be neutral with respect to the work/no-work divide, therefore, has particular merit in the light of Ireland ’s new circumstances.” (p331)

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The overwhelming majority of calls to the askonefamily national helpline this January related to the recession, job losses and money worries.   The helpline experienced a 300% increase in calls in comparison to 2008 during the weeks of a national advertising campaign.

One Family has been in existence for 37 years and provides a range of services for one-parent families in Ireland .  Services include parenting and skills training, counselling and parent mentoring and a wide range of information supports.

Budget will do nothing to reduce poverty in one-parent families

One Family, the leading provider of specialist support services for one-parent families in Ireland, says today’s Budget will do nothing to address already high rates of poverty in one-parent families. Such families currently have a poverty rate of more than four times the national average. One Family welcomes the introduction of the free one-year early childhood and education year which will bring benefits to all children especially those in low income families. However, the organisation highlighted the falling incomes experienced by one-parent families in Ireland . This occurs through a combination of reduced employment opportunities and hours of work, increased difficulties in securing and providing maintenance, higher income levies at lower entry points, reduced rent supplement and through the abolition of the Early Childcare Supplement. The abolition of the Christmas bonus will also have a very negative effect on many one parent families.Candy Murphy , Policy Manager, One Family, this evening said: “While we recognise that hard choices had to be made any reduction in income going into a one-parent family home will have very negative effects. The abolition of the Early Childcare Supplement will mean a significant drop in income for lone parents on low incomes.’ Ms Murphy continued: “We must ensure that these income cuts are not reinforced by a reduction in opportunities for lone parents to progress from welfare into work, education or training. One Family calls on the Government to prioritise the maintenance and development of services for those most distant from the labour market, including lone parents, to include accessible training and education services, housing and childcare support and through ongoing support for innovative interventions such as One Family’s very successful New Futures programme’. The overwhelming majority of calls to the askonefamily national helpline this January related to the recession, job losses and money worries. The helpline experienced a 300% increase in calls in comparison to 2008 following a national advertising campaign. One Family has been in existence for 37 years and provides a range of services for one-parent families in Ireland . Services include parenting and skills training, counselling and parent mentoring and a wide range of information supports.