The National One Parent Family Alliance (NOPFA) has outlined
essential actions government must take to address child poverty and the high deprivation levels experienced by one-parent families in Budget 2026.

With one-parent families continuing to experience disproportionate rates of poverty and social exclusion, NOPFA’s budget asks are practical, evidence-based solutions to improve financial stability for families, prevent further family homelessness and ensure thousands of children across the country can have their basic needs met.

NOPFA’s budget actions include:

Invest in the Child Support Payment as a means to target the poorest children(previously Qualified Child Increase), by a minimum of €10 per week for children under 12 and by €20 for children over 12. This should be the start of working towards benchmarking of the payment to 45% of the primary social protection payment during this government term.

Extend the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST),a specific payment to lone parents who have young children and cannot enter the workforce due to their care responsibilities, until the youngest child completes secondary school, for parents engaged in employment, education or training.

Deliver commitment in Programme for Government to expand fuel allowance to all those in receipt of Working Family Payment (WFP).

For NOPFA’s full list of budget actions, see here: https://onefamily.ie/wp-content/uploads/NOPFA-Pre-Budget-Submission_2026-2.pdf

Karen Kiernan, Chair of NOPFA and CEO One Family said:

“The current Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) creates a financial cliff-edge for parents once their child reaches ages 14. This is a systemic barrier that can be impossible for lone parents to overcome. We want this support extended until the youngest child completes second-level education, for parents engaged in employment, education or training. This support would ensure continued financial stability while lone parents work to improve their long-term economic prospects.”

Stephen Moffat, National Policy Manager, Barnardos said:

“40% of children we support live in one parent households. From our own experience, staff can see the disproportionate difficulty many have providing children with basic essentials. It’s vital that targeted supports are introduced in Budget 2026, such as increasing child support payments in line with inflation, to help pull families out of deprivation.”

Carly Baily, Policy Manager, One Family said:

“It’s critical that government deliver on their commitment in the Programme for Government to include families who are in receipt of the Working Family Payment in eligibility for fuel allowance. Energy costs remain high and geopolitical tensions may further exacerbate energy prices. It is critical that one-parent families, many who are already living in deprivation and poverty, are not left to try and absorb high costs by themselves.”

ENDS

For further information or media enquiries, please contact Vicky Masterson, Communications Manager, One Family 083 447 0645/vmasterson@onefamily.ie

Notes to Editor:

About NOPFA

The National One Parent Family Alliance comprises the following national organisations including Barnardos, Society of St. Vincent de Paul,
One Family, National Women’s Council, SPARK, Focus Ireland, Treoir and Family Resource Centre National Forum. This Alliance was established in 2020 around a shared concern about the high levels of poverty experienced by lone parents and their children.

NOPFA’s proposals are grounded in recent research by the Child Poverty and Well-Being Programme Office, the Vincentian MESL Research Centre, and CSO data from the 2024 SILC report.
You can access NOPFA’s complete Pre-Budget Submission here: https://onefamily.ie/wp-content/uploads/NOPFA-Pre-Budget-Submission_2026-2.pdf

One Family and Treoir backed FLAC’s call for the Bereaved Partner’s Pension Bill 2025 to be amended to delete its proposals to remove the entitlement of people who are divorced or separated to a survivors’ pensions if their former partner dies (such entitlement has been in place for almost 20 years). Collectively, we are strongly concerned at the impact these measures will have on lone parents and their children who were reliant on maintenance from a former partner.

The Oireachtas Social Protection Committee will undertake Committee State consideration of the 2025 Bill on 25 June at 9:30am. The Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary TD, will appear before the Committee. FLAC appeared before the Committee last week to outline its amendments to the Bill which have been tabled for consideration tomorrow.

FLAC Chief Executive Eilis Barry has written to members of the Oireachtas Social Protection Committee to inform them that “Two national organisations which are concerned with the rights of lone parents, Treoir and One Family, have endorsed FLAC’s amendments [toBereaved Partner’s Pension Bill 2025] and are joining us in asking the Joint Committee to adopt them. These organisations have first-hand experience of the discrimination and disadvantage that lone parents often encounter in Ireland. The death of a divorced or separated partner can still bring about a financial loss for families. The [2025 Bill] should be concerned with addressing that financial impact and no group of families should be arbitrarily excluded from the safety-net it provides.”

The O’Meara judgment [in which FLAC represented the O’Meara family] is, at its core, about equality between families. The provisions in the 2025 Bill concerning cohabiting families will have a significant positive impact for couples and families who, like the O’Meara family, suffer a bereavement and the emotional and financial impact that that inevitably entails. These provisions go beyond what is strictly required by the O’Meara judgment, and extend entitlement to bereaved cohabitants who do not have children. This compassionate and generous ‘levelling-up’ approach should be taken throughout the entire Bill.”

One Family CEO Karen Kiernan said:

“Only a very small number of people who were divorced or separated claim a survivor’s pensions in respect of their dependent children each year. These families may have been reliant on maintenance payments from a deceased former partner and the scheme is designed to ensure that this financial impact is addressed. We see no basis for removing their entitlement. It is highly concerning that the potential financial impact the 2025 Bill could have on this group does not seem to have been considered by the Department in what is otherwise a very positive piece of legislation.”

Treoir CEO Damien Peelo commented today:

“The Supreme Court’s ruling in the O’Meara case was a powerful affirmation that children should not be penalised for their parents’ marital status. It corrected a clear injustice in our social welfare system. However, the proposed Bereaved Partner’s Pension Bill risks replacing one inequality with another by excluding parents who are divorced or separated, including those who are supporting their child either financially or emotionally. This is a moment to extend compassion and support to all bereaved families, not to narrow the scope of protection. Any parent who has provided consistent financial or emotional support to their child should be recognised. Grieving children deserve equal treatment, regardless of their parents’ relationship status.”

ENDS.

Notes:

FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres) is an independent legal, human rights and equality organisation, which exists to promote access to justice. It provides early and preventive legal assistance through a Telephone Information & Referral Line and Telephone Legal Advice Clinics. As an Independent Law Centre, FLAC takes on a number of cases in the public interest each year, and operates a Roma Legal Clinic and Traveller Legal Service. The organisation makes policy recommendations in relation to social welfare law, equality and anti-discrimination law, housing law, human rights and access to justice. This includes policy reports and submissions to national and international bodies, including Oireachtas Committees and human rights monitoring bodies.

Treoir is a free information service for parents who are not married to each other, their children, and anyone supporting them. In 1976 various agencies working with unmarried parents formed a federation to channel efforts to improve the quality of the services provided to unmarried parents and their children. Treoir is still a membership organisation. It works to promote the rights and best interests of unmarried parents and their children through: providing specialist information; raising awareness on issues affecting unmarried parents, and; campaigning for change.

One Family is a specialist service provider for people living in one-parent families. It works to capture the experiences of service users into policy positions so it can deliver social policy and legislative improvements for families. One Family works with individuals and families from diverse backgrounds who may be parenting alone, sharing parenting, separating, step-parenting or experiencing an unplanned or crisis pregnancy.

Naomi Connolly from One Family’s Advocacy Project tells Social Inclusion Forum about her experience as a lone parent and changes she wants government to make

For immediate release
Thursday 8th May 2025

Naomi Connolly, a parent representative in One Family’s Advocacy Project, today told the Social Inclusion Forum of the myriad barriers lone parents face when returning to education to try and build a better life for themselves and their children. Naomi has three children and has been parenting alone for 10 years. She returned to education five years ago and has just completed her thesis in Social Care.

In a powerful speech to attendees, Naomi outlined her experience as a lone parent, the difficulties facing her returning to education to improve her employability and lift her family out of poverty and the need for government to provide targeted and adequate supports for lone parents returning to education. One Family welcomed the invitation from the Department of Social Protection for Naomi to speak at the Social Inclusion Forum and called on government to urgently address this issue as well as the chronic deprivation facing the majority of one-parent families in Ireland, with the following actions:

Adopt an ‘education first’ approach providing tailored, long term supports to lone parents who wish to return to education including: enhanced financial grants, a public childcare model with free/heavily subsidised places for children of one-parent families, improved support and flexibility for lone parents when participating in course related mandatory work placements.

Mainstream the One Family New Futures Employability Programme which is an award winning, specialised bridging programme designed specifically for lone parents who wish to return to education and employment from social welfare

Exclude child maintenance payments from secondary benefits including the means test for the SUSI grant, Students Assistance Fund, the National Childcare Scheme, for Social Housing assessments and Local Authority rents.

Naomi Connolly, Parent Representative, One Family Advocacy Project said:

“When my marriage ended, our lives turned upside down. It was so hard trying to figure everything out and make sure my children have the life they deserve. I took a risk going back to education. I wasn’t sure how we would manage and really, a lot how we did manage was down to luck, help and support from my college and from different charities along the way. I am almost out the other side and now I can see a better future for us all, but it shouldn’t have been this difficult. It should never be a risk to return to education but for lone parents, it is.”

Carly Bailey, Policy Manager at One Family said:

“The odds are stacked against one-parent families and without government intervention, this will not change. Returning to education as a lone parent is daunting and demanding, but systemic barriers mean completing that education often feels impossible. It’s critical that government provides targeted, ongoing supports for one-parent families returning to education to ensure lone parents can complete their courses and succeed, including; improved financial support, flexible learning options and delivering a public system of early childhood education and care to remove the critical barriers faced by lone parents returning to education. Targeted measures not only empower parents, but they can also break the cycle of generational poverty as children experience better outcomes in terms of health, education, income and overall well-being.

There are almost 220,000 families headed by a lone parent in Ireland and CSO statistics2 tells us that almost half of all one-parent families are living in enforced deprivation. Returning to education can be a vital step for a lone parent to lift their family out of poverty, but too many lone parents are prevented from doing that because of the lack of supports available to them on that journey; we are calling on government to change that and put in place the supports needed to give lone parents the best chance at success.”

Karen Kiernan, CEO of One Family

“Through our new Advocacy Project, we were able to link Naomi with this opportunity to speak at the Social Inclusion Forum, to have her experience as a lone parent to be heard by the Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary, senior Department officials as well as other civil society organisations.

It is critical that the lived experiences of one-parent families are listened to, recognised and valued in the spaces where policy and legislative changes can occur. While Naomi’s experiences are unique, there is a universal theme at play due to structural barriers faced by so many who parent alone: enforced deprivation for one-parent families, the struggle to survive day-to-day and the nearly impossible journey for a lone parent to navigate a return to education, along with their caring responsibilities and economic provision for their children.
These barriers are not unbreakable; they were designed by our systems and can be dismantled by our systems. We are calling on government, and specifically Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary, to use equitable, evidence-based policy making to improve the lives of one-parent families by ensuring every parent and child has a decent standard of living and can afford to have their basic needs met.”

[ENDS]

Available for interview: Naomi Connolly, Parent Representative of One Family’s Advocacy Project; Carly Bailey, Project Manager, One Family; Karen Kiernan, CEO, One Family

For more information, please contact Vicky Masterson, One Family Communications Manager on 083 447 0645 / vmasterson@onefamily.ie

Notes to Editor:

One Family’s Advocacy Project aims to embed the experience and voice of one-parent families in the areas where policy and legislation changes occur. The project gives lone parents an opportunity to share their experience and perspective on the social and economic challenges facing one-parent families and advocate for the changes needed to improve their lives. Panel members are given the opportunity to work with One Family to develop our policy and advocacy work and also with decision makers in the Dáil, our local councils, government departments and in Europe, as opportunities arise. This 2-year project is funded by UBIDAC via The Community Foundation of Ireland.

One Family Ireland was founded in 1972 as Cherish and is Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families and people sharing parenting or separating, offering support, information and services to all members of all one-parent families, to those sharing parenting, to those experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and to professionals working with one-parent families. Children are at the centre of One Family’s work and the organisation helps all the adults in their lives, including mums, dads, grandparents, step-parents, new partners and other siblings, offering a holistic model of specialist family support services. These services include the askonefamily national helpline on 0818 66 22 12, counselling, and provision of training courses for parents and for professionals. For further information, visit www.onefamily.ie. The askonefamily helpline can be contacted on 0818 66 22 12 or 01 662 9212 or helpline@onefamily.ie.

The Social Inclusion Forum is an annual national event hosted by the Department of Social Protection. It provides people affected by poverty and social exclusion, as well as the community organisations representing them, the opportunity to come together with officials from relevant Government Departments and the Minister for Social Protection to discuss poverty and social inclusion policy and related issues of common concern. It also allows for discussion about the implementation of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion, the national strategy for poverty reduction and improved social inclusion. The event is organised by the Social inclusion Division, with the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) Ireland and Community Work Ireland (CWI) as event partners.

One Family joins 16 international organisations to launch new #SingleParentCommunity campaign

Friday 21^st March 2025
For immediate release

To mark international Single Parents Day, One Family has partnered with Trinity College Dublin and Glasgow Caledonian University to launch a new campaign highlighting the history, lived experiences and misconceptions facing one-parent families, and to call on governments globally to develop better policies to support one-parent families.

The #SingleParentCommunity campaign includes an international group of historians, policymakers and NGOs, led by Glasgow Caledonian University and Trinity College Dublin, and funded by Arts and Humanities Research Council. To launch the campaign, a powerful new short animation Time for a New Chapter, produced by Media Co-op, has been released, reflecting the history and the lived experiences of single parents, the pride and strength in single parenthood, and the misconceptions that many lone parents face.

This new campaign is calling on government in Ireland, and internationally, to develop adequate policies to support one-parent families including:

Affordable childcare
Secure housing and financial stability
Fairer social security and greater respect

Members of the public are also encouraged to share their ideas of how governments can better support one-parent families at https://www.vopfn.org/timeforachange.

The project was co-produced with network members including Dr Janet Greenlees, Reader in Health History at Glasgow Caledonian University, Professor Lindsey Earner-Byrne of Trinity College Dublin, Karen Kiernan, CEO One Family and Terese Edwards of the National Council for Single Mothers and their Children, Australia.

TCD Prof of Contemporary Irish History, Lindsey Earner-Byrne said:

“Bringing historical research together with contemporary policy and NGO expertise was extremely powerful in enabling us to see the roots of the contemporary challenges faced by single parent families. We could track the punitive response of the workhouses of the 1830s through to the stigmatisation of lone parents in need of state support now. It became very clear to us that if Ireland centred the single parent in its policies, then all other families would benefit. In essence, this collaborative animation came out of our collective insights about the resilience of single parent families and the degree to which the historic shadow of stigma, blame and marginalisation persists. We want to stress that it is time for a new chapter!”

Karen Kiernan, CEO One Family said :

“We are delighted to have collaborated on the development of this important animation highlighting the joy and challenges of parenting alone. We plan to use this video to inform policymakers working to change hearts, minds and policies so that one-parent families can be supported to move out of poverty and into lives of dignity.

One in four families with children in Ireland are one-parent families, including over 356,000 children. One-parent families across Ireland continue to face severe financial hardship, as demonstrated by recent CSO figures, and deprivation is increasing for many families who are struggling to survive. On International Single Parents Day, we are calling on our government, and specifically Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary, to use evidence-based decision making and targeted payments for the poorest children who live in one-parent families.”

[ENDS]

Available for interview: Lindsey Earner-Byrne, Professor of Contemporary History, Trinity College Dublin / Karen Kiernan, CEO One Family

For more information, please contact Vicky Masterson, One Family Communications Manager on 083 447 0645 / vmasterson@onefamily.ie

Notes to Editor:

The Vulnerability & One Parent Family Network (VOPFN) is a shared forum for historians, archivists and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) working on one-parent families in the OECD countries of England, Scotland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Through participatory research it draws upon the collective insights and expertise of this group to explore the similarities and differences between these NGOs and the role of history in contemporary and future one-parent family policy and experience. The network was established through a grant from the Arts and Humanities Research
One Family Ireland was founded in 1972 as Cherish and is Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families and people sharing parenting or separating, offering support, information and services to all members of all one-parent families, to those sharing parenting, to those experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and to professionals working with one-parent families. Children are at the centre of One Family’s work and the organisation helps all the adults in their lives, including mums, dads, grandparents, step-parents, new partners and other siblings, offering a holistic model of specialist family support services. These services include the askonefamily national helpline on 0818 66 22 12, counselling, and provision of training courses for parents and for professionals. For further information, visit onefamily.ie. The askonefamily helpline can be contacted on 0818 66 22 12or 01 662 9212 or helpline@onefamily.ie.”

Lindsey Earner-Byrne is the Professor of Contemporary Irish History and the Director of the Centre for Modern and Contemporary Irish History at Trinity College Dublin. She has researched and published widely on modern Irish history with a particular focus on poverty, welfare, gender, sexuality, health and vulnerable and marginalised groups. Most recently she has co-authored a history of Ireland’s abortion journey with Professor Diane Urquhart of Queen’s University Belfast, The Irish Abortion Journey, 1920-2018 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019). She narrated and co-authored documentary Forgotten: The Widows of the Irish Revolution(RTÉ One, May 2022), short film on gender violence during the Irish Civil War for Mná100, and was on the UCC editorial team for RTE’s landmark three part series The Civil War (2022).

Video links:

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1060925212/08ac1dc373

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQZ2P49eghg

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Grim statistics for one-parent families in Ireland once again show that Government policies designed to tackle poverty are failing

One Family, Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families, has warned the rise in poverty rates in lone-parent families, (“single-adult households with children”), show Government policies designed to tackle poverty are failing. The warning comes as the latest Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) for the year 2024 published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) today confirms a pattern of consistent deprivation in one-parent families, rising to 46.3% from 41.4% in 2023. Once again, in 2024, the CSO Survey identified single-adult households with children under 18, as the most impacted families in Ireland. .

Lone parents across Ireland continue to face severe financial hardship. In 2024, over seven in ten reported difficulties in making ends meet. The data shows an increase in deprivation across key areas such as the inability to afford a Sunday family meal, new clothes and heating. Most stated they could not cope with unexpected expenses without borrowing.

Living standards for these one-parent families remain fragile. Almost half experienced enforced deprivation, one in four had arrears on mortgage or rent payment, and more than a third were were behind on utility bills and went into debt to cover everyday living expenses in 2024.

Last year’s findings once again highlight the persistent economic and social vulnerability of one-parent families in Ireland in recent times. From working with lone and separated parents and their children on a daily basis, these grim statistics are all too familiar to One Family, Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families. The charity is calling on Government to urgently introduce targeted supports for these struggling parents and children.

QUOTES

Carly Bailey, One Family Policy Manager said,

“The CSO SILC data should be a wake-up call to the new Government. Unlike other groups, one-parent families have an increased deprivation rate, up a staggering 11% compared to last year. Worryingly, this tells us that almost half of all one-parent families are living in enforced deprivation (46.3%), a rate that is almost three times greater than it is for two-parent families (16.2%).

This comes as no surprise to us in One Family as this data fully reflects the growing numbers of families that have contacted us concerned about how to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.

We are calling on the new Government to acknowledge that this cannot continue. We ask that Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary, meet with us as a matter of urgency to allow us to outline the targeted and long-term actions needed to ensure lone parents and their children do not go without heating, food and clothing again this year.”
Karen Kiernan One Family CEO said,

“There are a number of measures that must be taken if we are ever to see deprivation and poverty rates for one-parent families begin to decline. This includes greater supports to enable lone parents to access education and employment and improved support to be able to afford childcare, to name just a few. It is time for Government to acknowledge that it is simply not possible for one parent to afford the basic needs of a family in contemporary Ireland, especially those on a lower income.

One Family are ready and willing to work with the Government and relevant Ministers to ensure that they put in place evidence-based supports to ensure we see deprivation and poverty levels among one parent families fall. It doesn’t need to be this way, these disproportionately high levels of deprivation and poverty are not inevitable but are a result of policy decisions. Let us throw these children and families a lifeline, and support them to live with dignity and opportunity.”

ENDS

——————–

FURTHER INFORMATION

Key findings in the Enforced Deprivation Results from the Survey on Income and Living Conditions reveal:

“The groups most likely to experience enforced deprivation in 2024 were those living in single-adult households with children under 18 (46.3%); unable to work due to long-standing health problems (38.5%); unemployed (37.8%); and those living in rented or rent-free accommodation (31.5%).

The research also states that while,

“[…] CSO’s SILC 2024 show an overall decrease in the percentage of people experiencing deprivation in 2024. The release also highlights the higher incidence of deprivation amongst certain groups such as single-adult households with children […].

It further states that,

“More than seven in ten (73.0%) single-adult households with children under 18 had at least some difficulty in making ends meet in 2024, with two in ten (21.5%) reporting with great difficulty. In comparison three in ten (30.9%) households composed of two adults […].”

Detailed analysis of deprivation rates shows that,

– “the percentage of people living in households composed of a single adult with one or more children under 18 years who were unable to afford a roast joint (or its equivalent) once a week went up from 7.5% in 2023 to 13.5% in 2024, similar to their 2022 rate (12.1%).”
– “The percentage of people living in households composed of single adult with one or more children under 18 years who were unable to afford a meal with meat, chicken, fish, (or vegetarian equivalent) every second day also increased, going from 4.6% in 2023 to 8.0% in 2024.”
– “one in five (22.7%) people living in single-adult household with children were unable to afford new (not second-hand) clothes, five times the rate (4.4%) for people living in two-adult households with one to three children.
– “one in five (13.0%) people in single-adult households with children went without heating through lack of money”
– “Almost half (46.7%) of people living in single-adult households with children were unable to afford to replace worn out furniture.
– “almost eight in ten (77.4%) people in single-adult household with children live in a household that could not afford an unexpected expense of €1,500 without borrowing.”

The research concludes that, in terms of living standards and the the ability make ends meet,

– “Almost half (46.3%) of people living in single-adult households with children were living in enforced deprivation“, which is defined as experiencing two or more areas of deprivation in life. This compares to a much lower rate for “people living in two adult households [who] were the least likely to be living in enforced deprivation (6.9%).”
– only “14.8% of single-adult households with children could maintain the same standard of living for at least three months if they were to lose their income sources.”
– “One in four single-adult households with children had arrears on mortgage or rental payments” and “were the most likely to have missed at least one mortgage, rent, utility or other loan repayments, in the previous 12-month period.”
– “one in four (25.6%) of single-adult households with children had arrears on mortgage or rental payments. Four in ten (38.7%) had arrears on utility bills and one in four (24.0%) had hire purchase instalments or other loan payment arrears.”
– “more than half (54.4%) of single-adult households with children regarded housing costs as a heavy burden, compared with approximately one in seven (13.8%) households composed of two adults”
– “nearly three in ten (29.0%) single-adult households with children went into debt to meet ordinary living expenses in 2024″

SOURCES

Link for data and quotes above: Central Statistics Office, Enforced Deprivation Results from the Survey on Income and Living Conditions for 2024, published 11 March 2025, accessible online here.

For press inquiries or to arrange an interview with our spokespeople,

contact us here.

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20 December 2024

An innovative EU funded pilot programme supporting lone parents in the northeast of Ireland into education and employment was delivered in partnership between national voluntary sector organisation One Family and the Department of Social Protection (DSP) from 2021 to 2024.

75% of participants successfully progressed from these specialist bridging programmes designed for lone parents on social welfare according to One Family’s Annual Report 2023.

QUOTES

Karen Kiernan, One Family CEO, said,

“One Family have been running our specialist New Futures Employability Programme for 15 years. This highly successful programme was tested in the northeast region with the local DSP Intreo services in an innovative project where parents were offered courses from either their local Education & Training Board or with One Family.

“We were delighted with the strong rates of progression to education and employment for 75% of the parents One Family worked with – these are very high rates for community education courses and speak to our specialist approach of individual support, parenting, practical and therapeutic supports, as needed.

“We were also delighted that our New Futures Employability Programme again won the Aontas STAR award for ESF funded projects in 2023, our second time winning.”

“We are delighted to have new short term funders until June 2026 for our Employability Programmes including Rethink Ireland, the Beachaire Fund and Community Foundation Ireland, but what we really need is a strategic, long term, multi-annual investment from the State to ensure parents all over Ireland can access this award winning and highly successful programme on an ongoing basis. Parents should not have to rely on private funders and a postcode lottery to access training to lift them out of poverty and into sustainable careers.”

Carly Bailey, One Family Policy Manager, said,

“We are calling on the next Programme For Government to include a commitment to rolling out this award-winning programme nationwide. This would not only target state resources using an evidence-based approach but also demonstrate that the next Government is serious about tackling the unacceptably high levels of child and family poverty that exists in Ireland today.”

Valerie Maher, One Family Programmes Manager, said,

“Our New Futures employability programme is such a success because we understand the unique challenges that lone parents can face when considering a return to education and employment. As a trusted and specialised service, this bridging programme has been designed by us to take account of the parenting responsibilities lone parents have, to support them in learning new skills and build the confidence they need to progress towards secure, well-paid employment opportunities.

“But some good news is that we are currently recruiting for our next programmes commencing early next year. From February 2025, the New Futures Employability Programme will be available as an online e-learning programme or through live online classes two mornings per week. We also intend to return to face-to-face classroom delivery of our programmes in Dublin city centre from September 2025. Parents interested in participating in programmes starting in February 2025 can contact Niamh for further information at programmes@onefamily.ie”

_____________________________________

New Futures Employability Programme participant, Caroline had this to say about the course and One Family’s approach:

“As a single parent, I have always struggled to balance the demands of parenting and pursuing my own personal and professional growth. However, this programme has truly been a game-changer for me and has opened a world of opportunities that I never thought possible.

One of the most valuable aspects of the programme is the group training delivered two mornings per week online. The sessions are engaging, informative, and empowering. Through interactive workshops, group discussions, and practical exercises, I have gained valuable insights into various aspects of personal growth, such as self-confidence, communication skills, and resilience. The trainer was highly knowledgeable and skilled at creating a supportive environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their experiences and learning from one another and, on a week-to-week basis, friendships developed.

Another highlight of the New Futures Programme is the individual 1:1 key-work sessions. These sessions provided personalised help, support and guidance tailored to my specific needs and goals. The keyworker I was assigned was incredibly supportive, offering valuable insights, helping me identify my strengths and interests, who championed me every step of the way and assisted me in creating a clear career plan. The individual attention I received made me feel valued and motivated to pursue my aspirations.

Since completing the New Futures Programme, I have experienced a tremendous transformation in my personal and professional life. Not only have I acquired new skills and knowledge, but I have also gained a renewed sense of confidence and self-belief in myself.

Without this programme, I don’t think I would have the confidence to really reach the personal accomplishments that this course has given me. The programme has helped me realize my full potential and given me the tools to navigate the job market with a clear vision of my career goals. I cannot recommend the New Futures Programme enough. It is a truly life-changing opportunity for single parents and those sharing parenting responsibilities.”

For Editors

One Family was founded in 1972 as Cherish and is Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families and people sharing parenting or separating, offering support, information and services to all members of all one-parent families, to those sharing parenting, to those experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and to professionals working with one-parent families. Children are at the centre of One Family’s work and the organisation helps all the adults in their lives, including mums, dads, grandparents, step-parents, new partners and other siblings, offering a holistic model of specialist family support services.

Further Information

One Family’s partnership with the Department of Social Protection and European organisations in Greece and Finland to support lone parents towards employability and social inclusion commenced in 2021 and concluded in April 2024. The project was funded by the European Social Fund ESF+ Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) programme.

Community Foundation Ireland and the Beachaire Fund commissioned research on the impacts of community education in supporting lone parents to fulfil their potential in education, employment, and society, undertaken by Centre for Effective Services and based on eight case studies of lone parents participating in community education programmes delivered by organisations across Ireland, including One Family. The research found that lone parents who complete community education are highly likely to progress to further and higher education, training and paid employment and the importance of wraparound supports was also highlighted. One of the final recommendations was to utilise community education to respond to employment needs and skills gaps by scaling up employability programmes targeted at lone parents, including by building on the success of the One Family’s New Futures Employability Programme.

Link to Beachaire Fund research on community education: onefamily.ie/media-policy/research-reports

Link to One Family Employability Programmes: onefamily.ie/education-development/employability

Link to One Family Annual Review: onefamily.ie/wp-content/uploads/Annual-Report

For press inquiries or to arrange an interview with our spokespeople,

contact us here.

Key Asks for the next Programme for Government

One Family‘s manifesto for the Irish General Elections 2024 focuses on tackling persistent and acute challenges faced by one-parent families through comprehensive reforms. We propose a set of effective measures to raise the living standard of one-parent families through unifying welfare payments, reducing employment barriers and lowering the Working Family Payment threshold, for example. Other key measures include expanding Fuel Allowance eligibility, enhancing childcare subsidies and strengthening child maintenance enforcement. We advocate for equitable parental leave for lone parents, accessible and comprehensive out-of-court services, as well as coordinated, targeted initiatives to combat child poverty across Ireland. A child-centred housing policy aligned with the European Child Guarantee and a dedicated Family Homelessness Strategy will enable government and statutory structures to eradicate to homelessness and emergency accommodation issues.

Read our key asks for the next Government of Ireland here:

PDF for EMAIL_Election Manifesto 2024 Download

7 November 2024

Today, One Family, Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families, has launched its first dedicated national survey aiming to document the experiences and challenges of lone parents and their children living in Ireland.

Further to recent ESRI research, which found that being a lone parent significantly increases the risk of financial stress and overall poverty, One Family invites people living in one-parent families to help gather important data to highlight the unique challenges experienced by these families. The organisation is looking to hear from anyone parenting alone, sharing parenting or going through separation. This includes parents, step-parents, kinship carers, guardians or foster parents. Their participation will help develop research that can build a comprehensive picture of the significant and sustained life challenges faced by one-parent families across the country.

The survey can be accessed through One Family’s website here.

Completing the survey also provides parents in one-parent families with the opportunity to participate in the One Family Advocacy Project, an initiative funded by Community Foundation Ireland, which aims to promote equality, enhance wellbeing, and support financial and social inclusion of the most disadvantaged groups in Irish society.

QUOTES

Karen Kiernan, One Family CEO, said,

‘We really want to make Ireland a better place for children living in one-parent families to grow up in and we know that many parents face big challenges, especially around their financial security. Hearing directly from parents themselves is an incredibly powerful way for us to understand exactly what is happening and therefore advocate more effectively to government for positive changes.

As well as asking people to complete our survey, we are also seeking parents who would like to get more involved in our advocacy work. We know this can be extremely effective in influencing major changes to laws, policies and services.

Carly Bailey, One Family Policy Manager and the Advocacy Project Manager, said,

‘Despite overwhelming evidence and years of data demonstrating persistent, long-term poverty and deprivation rates, successive governments have failed to provide an adequate safety net for the families we advocate for. We still have a social protection system that refuses to acknowledge the unique barriers they face and the potential trauma they may be experiencing. The system is also incredibly difficult to navigate, with poverty traps around almost every corner.

Many of the families we work with continue to experience discrimination due to their family and parenting status and report high levels of shame and isolation as a result. We have a long history of treating lone parents and their children poorly in this country. It is high time it stopped.

This is why we are calling on all parents in a one-parent families to participate in our National Survey. Decision-makers might ignore the evidence, but they cannot ignore the collective voice of the families impacted by their consistent failure to act.‘

Parent, member of the new One Family Advocacy Project, said,

‘Like so many others parenting alone, I feel as if the State has abandoned my family and is ashamed of us. Why else is everything always so difficult? Like everyone else, I work really hard and do the best I can for my child, sometimes in very difficult circumstances. But with only one income coming in, I am never sure if I will be able to pay for everything each month which causes me huge anxiety. I am really looking forward to working with One Family as part of their new advocacy group and doing what I can, alongside other parents, to push for the change we deserve.’

For press inquiries or to arrange an interview with our spokespeople,

contact us here.

2 October 2024

— Ireland’s poorest children live in low-income, one-parent families but, yet again, they do not feature on the Government’s priority list —

One Family, Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families, has said that it is disappointed that the Government again failed to keep its promise to tackle child poverty effectively in its 2025 Budget and has not taken basic measures to support working lone parents. The organisation is of the view that the Government again opted for short-termist, once-off payments instead of structural interventions backed up by solid long-term strategies.

One Family has welcomed a number of positive steps taken towards tackling high living costs through universal measures such as the education-related hot school meals and free books programmes. It also welcomed an increase to the Single Person Child Carer Credit, but said it needs to be available to both co-parents post separation. Most importantly, the once-off payments that are again a strong feature of this budget will no doubt help many struggling families, but they do not solve anything long term.

One Family noted that one of the fundamental societal problems of the present day – child and family homelessness – does not appear to have been addressed by any specific universal or targeted interventions even though the latest homelessness statistics from the Department of Housing show that 58% of all families in emergency accommodation are now one-parent families.

In the context of rampant real-terms inflation and volatile cost-of-living conditions, One Family believes that core welfare payments have not caught up with inflation, are now worth less in value than in 2020 and are overall grossly inadequate in alleviating deprivation in both welfare-dependent and working families.

For low-income families with children, the double Child Benefit payments and electricity credits will only cover the festive gifts and the Christmas lights; the Government will effectively sponsor a brief holiday from the reality of running a household on constantly eroded incomes. When the sugar rush and the spare cash will have finished in January 2025, many families will be returned to the brutal reality of trying to juggle bills with the ongoing costs the budget did not address on October 1st.

The Government opted to give two costly bonus Child Benefit payments over just two months in 2024 at a cost of €371m. This is in contrast to the €78.5m spent on the Child Support Payment – a type of targeted support for the poorest children and families – over the entire year in 2025.

In its Pre-Budget Submission 2025, One Family proposed raising the Child Support Payment (formerly known as Qualified Child Increase) by a minimum of €6 and €15, respectively. This is to restore the age differentiation levels and combat inflationary cuts. In Budget 2025, the Qualified Child Increase payment is now worth €4 more for under 12s and €8 for over 12s.

Carly Bailey, One Family Policy Manager, said:

“Like other organisations and most experts, we recommended improving core social welfare rates and the Child Support Payment, which directly reaches the children most in need. The evidence is clear on this, Child Benefit is very expensive and has very little impact on child poverty rates. Since targeting is repeatedly recommended by researchers, it is genuinely difficult to comprehend the rationale behind this, especially when it seems that money is no issue.”

One Family also noted there is no increase in income disregard levels for One-Parent Family and Jobseeker’s Transitional payments. This is the amount of money lone parents can earn before it impacts on their payment; One Family recommended this needed to be increased to at least €205 to reflect increases to the National Minimum Wage.

Karen Kiernan, One Family CEO, said:

“It is inexplicable to us that Minister Humphreys and this Government did not support lone parents to move into or stay in employment by increasing the income disregard in line with national minimum wage increases. This makes it more difficult for parents to work – what they earn now is worth 12.2 hours of minimum wage, compared to the equivalent 26 hours in the year 2000.

The Working Family Payment thresholds increased by €60 per family to align with the current national minimum wage – as is appropriate. However, this payment is not available to parents on Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment whose youngest child is over 7 years of age. We believe this should just be a normal part of adjustments to increases in the National Minimum Wage and we call on Government to rectify this oversight as soon as possible.”

One Family has stated that Budget 2025 is another failure by the latest Government to make significant progress towards ensuring everyone in Ireland can have adequate living wages or social supports: once-offs and temporary top-ups will not last long and are very costly. While these pre-Christmas, pre-election give-aways are popular with some voters, they do not go far enough towards lifting the most vulnerable parents and children out of long-term poverty. In a year of anticipated surpluses and unexpected windfalls, Budget 2025 fails to find new ways to solve perennial problems, having shown that, yet again, decision makers refuse to stray from applying political solutions to real-life problems.

QUOTES

Karen Kiernan, One Family CEO’s statement:

“We welcome some progressive Budget 2025 investments, such as the school meals programme, and the Government’s commitment to pilot holiday food provision – we know this is much needed, as One Family regularly provides struggling parents and children with weekly food vouchers. In the context of a lack of childcare, poorly paid part-time work and social welfare rates that unfortunately do not meet the real costs of today, most poor children living in consistent poverty in one-parent families are in dire need of such basic supports.”

Carly Bailey, One Family Policy Manager’s statement:

“Throughout the year, we made it very clear to Government, that if they are serious about their stated desire to end child poverty, targeted long-term supports must be provided to one-parent families – it is these families in particular that continue to experience some of the highest rates of child poverty and material deprivation in Ireland.”

“We call on all political parties who are serious about ending child poverty to commit to engaging with One Family ahead of the General Election to ensure that all families are supported to keep their heads above water.”

CONTACT

For more information on or to arrange an interview with a One Family spokesperson, please contact:

Diana Valentine
Press & Communications
comms@onefamily.ie
Mobile/WhatsApp: 0834470645

FOR EDITORS

One Family is Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families and people sharing parenting or separating. It offers support, information and services to all members of all one-parent families, to those sharing parenting, to those experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and to professionals working with one-parent families.

Children are at the centre of One Family’s work and the organisation helps all the adults in their lives, including mums, dads, grandparents, stepparents, new partners and other siblings, offering a holistic model of specialist family support services. These services include a national helpline service, counselling and training courses for parents and professionals.

For further information, visit onefamily.ie.

One Family, Ireland’s leading national organisation for people parenting alone, sharing parenting and separating, has today released its Pre-Budget Submission for Budget 2025. The proposals highlight the urgent need for targeted measures to address the challenges faced by one-parent families, with a focus on child poverty, income inadequacy and social supports.

As highlighted by recent data, Ireland is facing a worsening crisis in homelessness, energy costs, education under-investment and income inequality. A record 14,429 people in Ireland, including 4,401 children, are now in emergency accommodation. Meanwhile, energy debt continues to soar, with electricity arrears increasing by 46% in 2024, according to the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities. The last CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions showed the real median household disposable income fell across all household types in Ireland, and the most for households with children aged under 18 – these families saw their real income fall by almost 8% last year alone. Amongst the other groups whose consistent poverty rates were greater than the national average, the figure for households with one adult and children aged under 18 years was 7%. Most recently, the Economic and Social Research Institute revealed that material deprivation for children has risen to 20%, with average disposable incomes consistently falling due to inflation.

These utterly shocking figures show that households with children, and one-parent families in particular, continue to face disproportionate levels of poverty. Currently, 25% of all families with children in Ireland are headed by a lone parent, and these families experience significantly higher levels of poverty and deprivation compared to two-parent households. Overall, lone parents experience the highest deprivation rate of any household type in Ireland: 2.5 times the national average.

Like other organisations in our sector, in its submission, One Family emphasises that addressing homelessness and housing insecurity, ensuring income adequacy and making significant investments in education and childcare should be top priorities for Budget 2025, as well as for the current and future Governments. Based on all the latest research, expert advice and public opinion polls, there is a clear need for targeted supports for the people most in need in Ireland.

Moreover, the well-documented budget surplus could comfortably cover the cost of more evidence-based, targeted social-support measures rather than the few standard cost-of-living temporary schemes currently considered. One Family urges the Government to spend these funds in a way that adequately addresses the most pressing challenges in society by directing supports and measures towards the most disadvantaged groups. It appears, however, that costly universal benefits and seasonal top-up payments that benefit energy providers rather than social recipients are still the Government’s preferred options – these were repeatedly proven to be insufficient for the purpose of helping the families on the lowest incomes as well as for tackling child and family poverty effectively, or at all, in real terms.

Our budget proposals reflect the urgent need for long-term, structural changes that will support the most vulnerable families in Ireland and prioritise one-parent households in particular. It is now time for the Government to make good on its promises to end child poverty and family deprivation overall by developing a budgetary policy that includes, among other things, adequate funding of the Government’s own Child Poverty and Wellbeing Office and its programme’s priority areas.

One Family‘s key recommendations for Budget 2025 call for a series of actions to alleviate child poverty and support one-parent families so as to ensure that they can live with dignity and security, including:

Raising the Qualified Child Increase payment by €6 for children under 12 and €15 for children over 12.
Increasing income disregards for One-Parent Family and Jobseekers’ Transitional payments from €165 to €205, in line with the National Minimum Wage.
Expanding Fuel Allowance eligibility to all households in receipt of the Working Family Payment and increase its payable period from 28 to 32 weeks.

Click to read the Pre Budget Submission 2025

QUOTES

Karen Kiernan, One Family CEO’s statement:

“One-parent families in Ireland are at the highest risk of poverty and enforced deprivation. The government must take decisive action in Budget 2025 to address income inadequacy and make targeted investments that truly benefit these families.”

Carly Bailey, One Family Policy Manager’s statement:

“Poverty is never inevitable, and we urge the Government to step up on the 1st of October. If they are serious about tackling child poverty and reducing deprivation rates, Budget 2025 must provide a genuine social safety net through which no family can fall through the cracks. Government now has the means to provide that safety net through targeted measures. There can be no more delays or excuses made.”

CONTACT

For more information on or to arrange an interview with a One Family spokesperson, please contact:

Diana Valentine
Press & Communications
comms@onefamily.ie
Mobile/WhatsApp: 0834470645

FOR EDITORS

For further information, visit onefamily.ie.

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One Family calls for implementation of out of court solutions for Child Maintenance issues

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Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families’ response to the publication of the Review of the Enforcement of Child Maintenance Orders

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Dublin, Monday 8th January 2024: One Family welcomes the Department of Justice’s Review of the Enforcement of Child Maintenance Orders, which addresses long-standing concerns regarding non-payment. This action was prompted by the Government’s decision not to establish a Child Maintenance Agency, despite its recommendation in the Murphy Child Maintenance Review Group report.
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Karen Kiernan, One Family CEO, stated, “One Family believes the only adequate response to the need to reform how child maintenance is administered in Ireland is the establishment of an independent child maintenance agency or analogous system. Given that courts instead will need to continue to shoulder the work of maintenance assessment and enforcement; we believe that urgent priority must be given to the development of new Family Law courts with specialist trained judiciary, shorter waiting times and an emphasis on out of court solutions.
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“It is of particular concern to us that separated parents will continue to be forced into adversarial legal systems that are often slow and expensive in order to deal with basics such as child maintenance. We see constantly in our services that unpaid maintenance means the family must cut back on essentials, bills cannot be paid, and families can go into arrears or debt.
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“Unfortunately, whilst this report recommends some positive changes, it falls short of providing families with an independent, non-adversarial process through which to assess and enforce child maintenance orders.”
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We hope that the planned development of guidelines for the Courts in enforcing maintenance orders and attempting to standardise assessments will hear the voices and experiences of parents who have direct experience of child maintenance.
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It is encouraging that there will be a wider selection of enforcement tools available to courts for non-payment of court ordered child maintenance, and that the court will determine which one is most suitable in each case. However, the onus is still on the receiving parent to initiate another court case, which we know from their own testimonies can bring about added stress and expenses.
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We are pleased that the Family Justice Forum will work together with the Department of the Taoiseach’s Child Poverty Unit to ensure there is a positive impact on child poverty levels. This is an essential aspect that requires thorough monitoring and ensuring compliance with orders.
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For more information, visit Review of the Enforcement of Child Maintenance Orders.

Issued on behalf of One Family

Date: 8 January 2024
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Note to Editors:

These services include the askonefamily national helpline on 0818 66 22 12, counselling, and provision of training courses for parents and for professionals. For further information, visit www.onefamily.ie. The askonefamily helpline can be contacted on 0818 66 22 12 or 01 662 9212 or helpline@onefamily.ie.

For Media Enquiries:

Laura Curtin, Communications Manager

Email: lcurtin@onefamily.ie

Tel: 086 853 7043
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Press Release — NOPFA Demands Urgent Action on One-Parent Family Homelessness

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Three out of every four families entering homelessness are one-parent families since eviction ban has been lifted

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Dublin, Thursday 23rd November 2023

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Prior to the upcoming release of the Department of Housing’s monthly report on homelessness, the National One Parent Family Alliance (NOPFA) is calling on the Government to take immediate measures towards addressing the dire housing crisis affecting one-parent households. According to recent data from the department, one-parent families account for an alarming three out of every four families entering homelessness since the eviction moratorium was lifted last April.

It cannot be denied that one-parent families, particularly those with lower incomes, face challenges when competing against higher income households in terms of securing rental properties and social and affordable housing. They continue to struggle with a shortage of rental properties, and additionally, they may also encounter discrimination due to their family status.
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Karen Kiernan, CEO of One Family and Chair of NOPFA said, “It is shocking and unacceptable that in 2023, the housing crisis is disproportionately affecting young children and lone parents. Daily we see and hear from these vulnerable families on their constant struggles in very difficult conditions. It’s heartbreaking to know that these individuals are being disregarded by the Government, leaving them to fend for themselves. The lack of action from the Government only reinforces the message that they do not matter. Immediate action needs to be taken to address this pressing issue.”
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As the calendar turns once more, it is disheartening to see that no significant steps have been taken by the Government towards addressing the challenges faced by one-parent families and those experiencing homelessness. These individuals continue to struggle with a shortage of rental properties, inadequate housing, a lack of necessary support services, an inability to compete with two-income households and a glaring absence of comprehensive national policies.
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Louise Bayliss, Campaign Coordinator with Focus Ireland said, “It is unfortunate that there is currently no specific strategy or taskforce in place to aid one-family households facing homelessness. The fact that this is happening in modern times is truly regrettable. It is crucial to establish a cohesive method of assisting these families from the time they receive an eviction notice.”
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Commenting on the imminent threat of homelessness a lone parent stated,

“I am a lone parent, single mother on a low income and have faced so many barriers over the years, but this is the worst one, as it really affects my son. We have rented a property for thirteen and a half years and have been issued with two notices to quit in five years. I am at my wits end with it all, we have been on the housing list since 2005. We are now expected to get up and live a normal life outside of a looming eviction with no alternative accommodation. To be honest it’s not fair. And it makes me so angry. I feel there’s barriers that single-parent families have to face and battle everywhere, preventing anyone from progressing forward out of low income situations.
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Fergal Landy, CEO of the Family Resource Centre National Forum said, “Family Resource Centres strive to empower and strengthen children, families, individuals, and communities throughout Ireland. It is incredibly frustrating to see scarce resources expended on dealing with the avoidable impact on children of living in emergency accommodation and experiencing homelessness. It is crucial for prompt measures to be taken in tackling the housing crisis, particularly for lone parents, to prevent the many costly adverse outcomes that will inevitably arise for children if comprehensive action is not taken.”
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The National One Parent Family Alliance (NOPFA) urges the government to focus on the following actions specifically targeting one-parent families:

Remove Child Maintenance from means testing for housing supports such as HAP and Rent Supplement. It is a payment for children and when it is being paid, should be considered a means to support one-parent families out of poverty.
Establish a dedicated team in the Department of Housing to investigate the disproportionate increase of homelessness on one-parent families and offer practical solutions.

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Note to editors:

About National One Parent Family Alliance

The National One Parent Family Alliance comprises of national organisations including Barnardos, One Family, Family Resource Centre National Forum, FLAC, Focus Ireland, National Women’s Council, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, SPARK, and Treoir. This Alliance was established in 2020 around a shared concern about the high levels of poverty experienced by lone parents and their children.

Children in one parent families are four times more likely to experience poverty than children in two parent families. Prior to cost-of-living increases, 17% of one parent families lived in consistent poverty, 45% were experiencing enforced deprivation and almost 80% were unable to afford an unexpected expense. Despite making up only 20% of families in Ireland, one parent families account for 56% of homeless families. (EU SILC, 2022).

For media inquiries, please contact:

Laura Curtin, Communications Manager at One Family | t: 086 853 7043
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Press release – National One Parent Family Alliance

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75% of families becoming homeless since eviction ban ended are headed by one parent

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National Alliance of NGOs calls for urgent action on growing crisis among one-parent families.

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The Alliance* says the disproportionate impact of the homelessness crisis on one parent families must not go unnoticed and requires urgent attention across Government departments.

They are calling on Government to establish a dedicated task force to address this crisis and prevent the further flow of one parent families into homelessness. NOPFA says this could be formed under the remit of the Department of Housing or through the new Child Poverty Unit in the Department of An Taoiseach, which has identified family homelessness as one of its five key priorities.

Key measures across social protection, rent arrears, Housing Assistance Payment top-ups, treatment of mortgage and rent payments in the assessment of means, and the supply of social and affordable housing are all needed, says the Alliance.
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Karen Kiernan, CEO of One Family and chair of the National One Parent Family Alliance says: “The numbers are staggering; since the eviction ban ended, there has been a surge in homelessness, with 253 more families now in dire need of shelter. Even more concerning, 191 of these families are one parent families, accounting for the majority of this surge. It is important to note that these statistics only include families accessing emergency accommodation, suggesting that the true extent of homelessness among one parent families may be even more concealed. Many of these families are grappling with the cost of living crisis, high poverty rates and deprivation, causing them to return to their original family homes for support. We know that the solutions to this crisis do not lie with one Department. With better coordination and a sustained focus on the needs of one parent families, it is possible to reverse this trend and prevent the trauma of homelessness for parents and children.”

Tricia Keilthy, Head of Social Justice with the Society of St Vincent de Paul said: “There are real measures that could prevent more one parent families from entering homelessness and we need them implemented. We are pleased to see legislation being introduced to exclude maintenance payments from social welfare assessments. Still, we know for families experiencing separation, the inclusion of mortgage and rent payments in assessments often puts them at risk of homelessness and housing precarity. Fundamentally, we need to see increased supply of social and affordable homes, but in the interim, a much greater emphasis on homeless prevention is needed. With so many one parent families living in the private rented sector and vulnerable to rent increases, we needed to see a dedicated homeless prevention fund in Budget 2024.”

Suzanne Connolly, Chief Executive Barnardos, said: “It is alarming that children in one parent families are so disproportionately impacted by homelessness. The fact that this has only increased further since the end of the eviction ban shows a need for Government to take further action to tackle the issue. Lone parents we support are regularly evicted from their homes, often with multiple young children, or forced to move back in with their own parents. Children are forced to experience the trauma, often long lasting, of being uprooted from their homes, schools and friends. We know that childhood lasts a lifetime. The longer a child is homeless and living in poor and unsuitable accommodation, the more negative an impact it has on their future wellbeing and development.”
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These figures sit within the wider context of child and family homelessness. Today, the overall number of children experiencing homelessness reached an all-time high of 3904, surpassing the previous record set in 2019. NOPFA says a particularly distressing aspect of this situation is the fact that the 2019 record included 18-year-olds and older as children, whereas they are now counted as adults.

NOPFA urges immediate action to address this pressing issue, protect one parent families from homelessness and ensure the well-being ofchildren. With a coordinated effort between organisations like NOPFA and the Government, we can provide a brighter future for one parent families in our nation.
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For media inquiries, please contact:

Karen Kiernan: 086 850 9191 or 01 662 9212

Tricia Keilthy: 086 410 9302

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Note to editors:

*The National One Parent Family Alliance comprises national organisations including Barnardos, One Family, Family Resource Centre National Forum, FLAC Focus Ireland, National Women’s Council, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, SPARK, and Treoir. This Alliance was established in 2020 around a shared concern about the high levels of poverty experienced by lone parents and their children.
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Another Year Where Children are Left Looking for More

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Budget 2024 Does Not Target Ireland’s Poorest Families

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Press Release: Tuesday 10 October

One Family, Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families, has said that it is disappointed that a Government that promised to target low-income families and tackle child poverty instead seems to be thinking about the next election.

Karen Kiernan, CEO of One Family states: “Whilst we welcome Government listening to us in relation to extending Child Benefit to young people still in full-time education and the need to increase the Single Person Child Carer Credit, we are shocked that one-parent families on social welfare are not being targeted for once-off cost of living increases as other payments are, despite clear evidence of need.

“As One Family predicted, last year’s short-sighted Budget has helped push the poorest children in the State, even further into poverty. Between March 2022 and March 2023 one-parent households experienced a higher rate of inflation than nearly all other household types. Budget 2024 is unfortunately more of the same.”

Carly Bailey, One Family’s Policy Officer states: “It is so frustrating to have another budget that leaves the poorest children behind as Government focusses on expensive once-off Child Benefit payments for everyone instead of targeting those who need it most.

“Some increases are well behind inflation which is a rinse and repeat of last year. Research tells us that one-parent families need long-term targeted supports to throw them a lifeline and truly tackle the scourge of child poverty. One-parent households are the most affected by consistent poverty and deprivation. In such a wealthy country it is shameful that so many families are being pushed into consistent poverty.”

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For Editors:

These services include the askonefamily national helpline on 0818 66 22 12, counselling, and provision of training courses for parents and for professionals. For further information, visit www.onefamily.ie. The askonefamily helpline can be contacted on 0818 66 22 12 or 01 6629212 or helpline@onefamily.ie

1 in 5 people in Ireland live in a one-parent family and the Survey in Income and Living Conditions (SILC) tells us that children in one-parent families are four times more likely to experience poverty than children in two-parent families.

Link to One Family 2024 Pre-Budget Submission.

For further information visit: https://onefamily.ie/

Available for Interview:

Karen Kiernan, CEO | t: 086 850 9191 or 01 662 9212

Carly Bailey, Policy Officer | t: 086 068 3007 or 01 662 9212

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Oireachtas members join call for publication of wording for the upcoming equality referendum

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Press release, 27 September 2023

Former Committee Chair, Ivana Bacik TD, and members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality today (Wednesday, 27 September 2023) joined five civil society organisations outside Leinster House to call for the publication of the wording for the upcoming equality referendum in line with the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee Report. The five organsiations included the National Women’s Council (NWC), Treoir, One Family, Family Carers Ireland and SIPTU.
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Orla O’Connor, Director, National Women’s Council said, “We welcome the greater clarity provided by Government in relation to the timeline of this referendum which is now scheduled to take place in early 2024. We are now calling on the Government to publish the wording without delay so that the public has the time and space to consider the proposals that they will be asked to vote on.

The referendum is our chance to lead a national conversation on the values and principles that we want to see shape our shared future and policies. It is a historic opportunity to remove limits on women’s role from the Constitution and instead enshrine the value of care in all of its forms, inside the home and in the wider community.

Valuing care is about ensuring everyone is supported to participate in our community. People who provide care, both in paid and unpaid roles, must be able to do so with dignity and with the proper support and resources. And people who may need care must have access and choice when it comes to the supports they need to live their lives independently.”
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Damien Peelo, Treoir said, “We all know that family is much broader than just legal or biological relationships. When we talk about family we’re talking about love, care, and the relationships between people. Today, Ireland’s family life is increasingly diverse. The number of children born outside of marriage is rising, with 43% registered in 2022.

The upcoming referendum is our chance to reflect this reality of family life in our Constitution and recognize all family types equally, including but not limited to the family based on marriage.

All families, including the ones with children in them, need recognition, support, and protection by our Constitution. We are calling on the Government to publish the wording for the upcoming equality referendum without further delay.”
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For more information, please contact Silke Paasche, Head of Communications, NWC, Tel. 085 858 9104.

Notes to Editor:

What: Photocall with coalition of civil society organisations and the Chair and Members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality

When: Wednesday, 27th September 2023, 10 am

Where: Outside the gates of Leinster House
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About One Family

One Family is Ireland’s organisation for people parenting alone, sharing parenting and separating, offering support, information and services to all members of all one-parent families, to those sharing parenting, to those experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and to professionals working with one-parent families. Children are at the centre of One Family’s work and the organisation helps all the adults in their lives, including mums, dads, grandparents, step-parents, new partners and other siblings, offering a holistic model of specialist family support services.

These services include the askonefamily national helpline on 01 662 9212, counselling, and provision of training courses for parents and for professionals. For further information visit: www.onefamily.ie

About NWC

The National Women’s Council is the leading national representative organisation for women and women’s groups in Ireland, founded in 1973. We have over 190 member groups and a large and growing community of individual supporters.

This year we celebrate 50 years since our foundation with a special calendar of events and campaigns.

The ambition of the National Women’s Council is an Ireland where every woman enjoys true equality and no woman is left behind. This ambition shapes and informs our work, and, with our living values, how we work.

We are a movement-building organisation rooted in our membership, working on the whole island of Ireland. We are also part of the international movement to protect and advance women’s and girls’ rights. Our purpose is to lead action for the achievement of women’s and girls’ equality through mobilising, influencing, and building solidarity. Find out more on www.nwci.ie

About Treoir

Treoir was founded in 1976 and is the national federation of services for unmarried parents and their families. Treoir along with its member agencies, promotes the rights and welfare of unmarried parents and their children and advocates on their behalf. Treoir recognises the diversity of Irish families and believes that all families, including non-marital families, should be valued equally and receive the same level of protection and support from the state. Treoir provides information to non-married parents on areas of family law, available supports for families, and supports for successful shared parenting. We endeavour to always look for ways to enhance our information provision and help families to realise their rights. www.treoir.ie/

About Family Carers Ireland

Family Carers Ireland is the national charity supporting the 500,000+ family carers across the country who care for loved ones such as children or adults with additional needs, physical or intellectual disabilities, frail older people, those with palliative care needs or those living with chronic illnesses, mental health challenges or addiction. It provides a range of services and supports for family carers through its Carer Support Centres nationwide and through its National Freephone Careline 1800 24 07 24. See www.familycarers.ie for more information.

Our vision is an Ireland in which family carers and young carers are properly recognised, supported and empowered. Our mission is to highlight the contribution of family carers to Irish society and to improve the lives of family carers throughout the country. We believe that no one should have to care alone.

About SIPTU

SIPTU is Ireland’s largest trade union representing over 180,000 workers from virtually every category of employment across almost every sector of the Irish economy. SIPTU is the representative body of Ireland’s care professionals including workers in healthcare, home care, elder care, childcare, intellectual disability, physical disability, community care and social care. www.siptu.ie
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15% increase in queries to national one-parent family helpline

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Press release, Monday 28 August

Queries to the askonefamily national helpline, a specialist support line for one-parent families, increased by 15% in 2022 as families struggled with tightening energy, food and housing prices. The statistic was revealed as One Family, Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families, launched its Annual Report for 2022.
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Karen Kiernan One Family CEO said, “The surge in queries to our helpline is more evidence of the pressure one-parent families are experiencing. Parents sought advice on housing, finance and social welfare as they strained to keep their heads above water. This is a direct result of Government policy and will only get worse; queries to the helpline in Q1 2023 are already 30% ahead of 2022. The budget, last year, had next to nothing for one-parent families despite all the evidence that showed these families are amongst the poorest in the state and needed targeted support. In 2022, One Family issued almost €4,000 worth of food vouchers to struggling families and over 500 Christmas gifts to children. These donations were sourced through the generosity of companies and the public and without them many families would have gone hungry, or children would have had nothing for Christmas.”
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Carly Baily, One Family Policy Officer, said, “If Government are serious about ending child poverty, there needs to be meaningful targeted supports for one-parent families in Budget 2024. One-parent families are not looking for hand-outs but for supports to help them escape poverty. A stand-alone child maintenance system is urgently required to pull families out of poverty. Child maintenance and child benefit shouldn’t be assessed as means for access to public supports and schemes. These are all achievable; all Government needs to do is target resources on families who need it the most instead of national giveaways.”

Karen Kiernan One Family CEO said, “Last year, One Family marked its 50th anniversary. What was striking was the same issues of poverty, childcare and housing insecurity are still plaguing parents today. It doesn’t have to be this way, and this is not the Ireland most of us want to live in.”
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For Editors:

Link to One Family Annual Review:

For further information visit: https://onefamily.ie/

Available for Interview

Karen Kiernan, CEO | t: 086 850 9191

Further Information/Scheduling

Noel Sweeney, Communications and Events Manager | t: 085 7241294
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Organisations call for wording on upcoming referendum to be published

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A coalition of organisations has written an open letter to the Taoiseach saying time is needed for a national conversation on the Family, Care, and Gender Equality referendum

If the family, care and gender equality referendum is to go ahead in November, then the wording that people will be asked to vote on must be published as soon as possible to allow time for a national conversation. That is according to a coalition of organisations who sent an open letter to the Taoiseach this week.
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The government announced a referendum last March on foot of recommendations from the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality. They recommended a referendum to remove the Constitutional limits on women; to value and recognise care in the home and the wider community; and to protect all families equally.

Director of the National Women’s Council, Orla O’Connor, said:

“Our Constitution, our foundational document, contains restrictive language on women’s role in society. It is outdated and carries a legacy of the mistreatment of women up to today. It’s important this is amended so that it reflects the value of care and everyone’s role in care right across our society. NWC is looking forward to a national conversation on these issues but unless wording is published soon, we’re concerned about the proposed timeline.”
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SIPTU Deputy General Secretary Ethel Buckley said:

“As the union of paid care workers – numbering up to 100,000 people in Ireland – we want to ensure the work of carers on the front line in the home and in the community is recognised and valued. A national conversation on issues as significant as women’s role in society, the value and recognition of care both inside the home and in the wider community, and the definition of family, deserves time.”
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Karen Kiernan, CEO of One Family said:

“This referendum is an opportunity to offer recognition to families who have been mistreated over the years. There are families living in Ireland now who are not recognised as such in our Constitution, who have been waiting years for recognition. Government owes it to them to publish wording as soon as possible before the referendum.”

Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Policy at Family Carers Ireland, said:

“We believe this referendum, and in particular, the replacement of Article 41.2 with wording that recognises the societal value of care in the home and wider community and obliges the State to take measures to support family carers, is a milestone moment in our history and therefore are calling for the urgent publication of the wording.”
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The letter is signed by five organisations: Treoir, Family Carers Ireland, One Family, the National Women’s Council (NWC) and SIPTU. There are a large number of other organisations who are keen to support the referendum but cannot do so until the wording is published.

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Read the letter here:
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Lone parents at breaking point ahead of Budget Forum Meeting

Urgent targeted action is needed as many one-parent families struggle to put food on the table.

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Press release,

Tuesday 18 July,

Lone parent families are at breaking point and require urgent targeted supports in Budget 2024 according to One Family – Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families. The call comes ahead of the Department of Social Protection’s Pre-Budget Forum tomorrow, Wednesday 19^th July and as the organisation launches its Pre-Budget Submission.
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Karen Kiernan CEO of One Family said, “What we are hearing from our services and through our helpline is that parents are struggling. They’re straining to keep their heads above water but an unequal social welfare system is pulling them down. Lone parent families are not looking for hand-outs but for supports to help them escape poverty. A stand-alone child maintenance system is urgently needed to pull families out of poverty, child maintenance and child benefit shouldn’t be accessed as means for access to public supports and schemes. Lone parents should be eligible for all parts of an enhanced SUSI grant, irrespective of which housing support they are in receipt of, or whether the course is full, part-time or blended. These are all achievable; all Government need to do is focus resources and the result is thousands of children are pulled out of poverty.”
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Carly Bailey Policy Officer with One Family said, “One-parent families are consistently overrepresented in poverty, homelessness and deprivation figures. Yet despite all the evidence, targeted interventions to reduce poverty in one-parent households were shamefully absent from last year’s Budget. It is no surprise that income inadequacy has deepened for one parent families again this year as a result. Budget 2024 must include specific targeted measures such as a significant Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC) payment in order to provide a meaningful reduction in poverty in one-parent families.”
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Our key budget asks:

Increase the Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC) payment by €15 for children over 12 years and €10 for children under 12 years.
Provide free (or almost free) access to childcare to all families in receipt of the Medical Card.
Expand eligibility for the Living Alone Allowance, Telephone Allowance and Household Benefits Package.
Ensure lone parents are eligible for all parts of an enhanced SUSI grant, irrespective of which housing support they are in receipt of, or whether the course is full, part-time or blended.
Increase the housing disregard for One Parent Family and Job Seekers Transitional payment in line with market rents. This has not been increased since 1997.
Establish an independent child maintenance agency.

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About One Family:

To read our Pre-Budget Submission

Available for Interview

Karen Kiernan, CEO of One Family | t: 086-8509191

Further Information/Scheduling

Noel Sweeney, Communications and Events Manager | t: 085 7241294
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Press release – National One Parent Family Alliance

One Parent Families Must Be Prioritised in Budget 2024

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Wednesday 12^th July 2023

The National One Parent Family Alliance (NOPFA) an alliance of civil society organisations concerned about the high levels of poverty experienced by lone parents and their children is calling on Government to urgently prioritise one parent families in Budget 2024. The alliance will hold a pre-Budget briefing with media and political representatives to highlight their concerns and ‘asks’ for lone parent families on Wednesday 12^th July between 10am – 1 pm in Buswells Hotel.
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The alliance which includes Barnardos, Children’s Rights Alliance, One Family, Family Resource Centre National Forum, FLAC, Focus Ireland, National Women’s Council, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, SPARK, and Treoir have prepared a Pre-Budget Submission stressing the need to prioritise supports for one parent families in Budget 2024.

The key asks are:

An increase of €10 per week for children under 12 and €15 per week for children over 12 is needed to retain the purchasing power of the Qualified Child Payment and make real progress on tackling child poverty.
In recognition of the income cliff when the youngest child reaches 14, extend Jobseekers Transition Payment to parents in work, education or training until their youngest child finishes second level education.
Make the Fuel Allowance payable to families in receipt of the Working Family Payment as a targeted measure to reach more families experiencing energy poverty. Estimated cost: €40.6 million
Extend entitlement of the Living Alone Allowance and Household Benefits package to one parent families in recognition that they rely on a single long term social welfare payment and are at a much greater risk of poverty and income inadequacy than two adult households.
The Housing Income Disregard was introduced in 1997 at a rate of £75 (€95.23) and it has not increased since then and it does not reflect current housing costs. Families are at increased risk of homelessness at the time of relationship breakdown, and an increase in the Housing Income Disregard in line with actual market costs would support families to remain in the family home.

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NOPFA says these measures are well targeted and will make a real difference in the lives of thousands of children. Importantly, it will help achieve the Taoiseach’s ambition of making a sustained impact on the number of children growing up in poverty – the majority of whom are living in one parent families – during his term.

Orla O’Connor, Director of the National Women’s Council said “Lone parents, the vast majority of whom are women, are one of the groups most at risk of poverty in Ireland today. In Budget 2024, government must support one-parent families by raising social welfare rates so that they provide a Minimum Essential Standard of Living, and by investing in vital public services. This includes a further 25% reduction in childcare costs in 2024, in tandem with the development of a public childcare model to enhance accessible, affordable, quality childcare for families. Government cannot outrun the cost-of-living with tax cuts for higher earners – these will reinforce inequalities for women and will not help one-parent families”.

Louise Bayliss, Campaign Coordinator with Focus Ireland said “We are concerned with the disproportionate increase of family homelessness among lone parent households. Focus Ireland have previously called for a taskforce to examine the causes and solutions for homelessness among lone parent households. The monthly homelessness figures now evidence the urgent need for this task-force.”

Damien Peelo, CEO of Treoir said “From the calls to our information service, we hear of the real daily struggle many one parent families have to cope with due to inadequate financial support and we are calling on targeted financial supports for one parent families to ensure their children have a realistic chance to break the cycle of poverty.”

Karen Kiernan, CEO of One Family said, “We know from our frontline services and helpline that parents are struggling to keep their heads above water this summer. The theme of the summer for many is stress, stress to keep food on the table, stress to keep a roof over children’s heads. Short-term measures keep the waters out for a week or two but then parents are back trying to plug gaps. One-parent families need targeted supports in this Budget. Short-term and universal measures leave the poorest children in the state even poorer in the long-term.”

Suzanne Connolly, Chief Executive at Barnardos said, “almost 40% of the children Barnardos supports are living in one parent families. As a society, it is unfair and unjust that children in these families are often at the greatest risk of being pulled into deprivation. We know from our services that the cost of living crisis has disproportionately increased financial pressures on lone parents. The Government needs to act in Budget 2024 to better protect children living in these families, introducing targeted supports that will help their immediate health and wellbeing as well as their future development and opportunities.”
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The lack of permanent, adequate, and targeted measures in Budget 2023 has left families vulnerable to hardship and Budget 2024 needs to ensure lone parent families are supported.

Analysis from the Vincentian MESL Research Centre shows one parent household cases continue to demonstrate the greatest depth of income adequacy compared to equivalent two parent household cases. The MESL analysis has consistently identified older children as having additional and different needs distinct from younger children. The core MESL cost is highest for older children, aged 12 and over, at €149.05 per week. Only 61.5% of this need is met by social welfare payments, leaving a weekly shortfall of €57.42 per week. Budget 2024 must address this income inadequacy to reduce chid poverty and deprivation.

Since the ending of the eviction ban, family homelessness has increased by 131 homeless families, but more shockingly, lone parents make up 72% of the increase. In the last year, family homelessness increased by 30%. However, lone parents experienced a much higher increase of 38%, compared to a 20% increase for other families. It is clear lone parent households should be identified as an at risk group and a task force should be immediately set up to support families at risk of homelessness.

Ends

Members of NOPFA will be available for comment on the day.

Notes to editors:

The National One Parent Family Alliance comprises ten national organisations including Barnardos, Children’s Rights Alliance, One Family, Family Resource Centre National Forum, FLAC, Focus Ireland, National Women’s Council, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, SPARK, and Treoir. This Alliance was established in 2020 around a shared concern about the high levels of poverty experienced by lone parents and their children.
Children in one parent families are four times more likely to experience poverty than children in two parent families. Prior to cost of living increases, 17% of one parent families lived in consistent poverty, 45% were experiencing enforced deprivation and almost 80% were unable to afford an unexpected expense. Despite making up only 20% of families in Ireland, one parent families account for 56% of homeless families. (EU SILC, 2022)

To read the NOPFA Pre-Budget Submission click here:

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Always the Two of Us – new documentary theatre on growing up in a one-parent family in Ireland

Press Release,

Wednesday 7^th June,
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The Ark Children’s Cultural Centre and One Family – Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families, are delighted to announce the free, rehearsed reading of Always the Two of Us, by Kate Heffernan taking place tomorrow Thursday 8^th June at 6pm at The Ark in Temple Bar. The new piece of documentary theatre looks behind the curtains of Irish family life at the real life experiences of adults who grew up in one-parent families during the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s; a time when these families often faced shame and scorn.
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One Family CEO, Karen Kiernan said, “This is such an important piece of theatre, to be able to tell the often-hidden stories of children (now adults) who grew up on one-parent families in the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s. We’ve heard the harrowing stories of the mother and baby homes and the laundries, but Kate has managed to capture the complex range of experiences of children in these homes, the love, the laughter, the shade and the light that comes through. The piece was commissioned to celebrate our 50th anniversary and we want to say a huge thanks to Kate and The Ark for the tremendous amount of work that went into this piece.”
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Aideen Howard, Director of the Ark said, “The Ark makes art for by, about and with children. While most of our programme is created for children we also commission work for a grown up audience about the experience of children and childhood. We were delighted to commission playwright Kate Heffernan to create The Ark’s first work of documentary theatre which will be presented as a reading directed by Maisie Lee and read by an outstanding cast. It was a privilege to work together with One Family whose championing of the rights of children. parents and diverse families is an inspiration to us.”
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Always the Two of Us was commissioned by The Ark and One Family, this new documentary theatre script has emerged from conversations with men and women, of varying ages, and from both urban and rural backgrounds. In this rehearsed reading directed by Maisie Lee, actors Catherine Byrne, Lewis Harris, Genevieve Hulme Beaman, Lauren Larkin and John Olohan will read multiple roles to share their stories and experiences.

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For Editors:

The Ark is a dedicated cultural centre for children. We create opportunities for children, along with their families and friends or with their school, to discover and love art. Through our work with leading Irish and international artists children can enjoy performances in our unique child-sized theatre, view engaging exhibitions or participate in creative workshops.

One Family was founded in 1972 as Cherish and is Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families and people sharing parenting or separating, offering support, information and services to all members of all one-parent families, to those sharing parenting, to those experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and to professionals working with one-parent families. Children are at the centre of One Family’s work and the organisation helps all the adults in their lives, including mums, dads, grandparents, step-parents, new partners and other siblings, offering a holistic model of specialist family support services.

These services include the lo-call askonefamily national helpline on 0818 66 22 12, counselling, and provision of training courses for parents and for professionals. For further information, visit www.onefamily.ie. The askonefamily helpline can be contacted on 0818 66 22 12 or 01-6629212.

For further information on Always the Two of Us click here

Available for Interview

Karen Kiernan, CEO | t: 086 850 9191

Further Information/Scheduling

Noel Sweeney, Communications and Events Manager | t: 085 7241294
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Higher rate of homelessness in one-parent families requires urgent Government action.

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Press Release

Friday, 26^th May 2023

Figures published by the Department of Housing today, show the devastating impact the eviction ban is starting to have on one-parent family households. Homeless figures show there was 962 one-parent families living in emergency this month, up 64 or 7%, since March. One-parent families continue to make up over half of all families in homelessness, a trend that has persisted since the start of the housing crisis. One Family are deeply concerned at the rate of increase this month, with homelessness in one-parent families increasing more than three times the rate in the general population.
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One Family CEO Karen Kiernan said, “What we are witnessing is a large-scale failure of Government policy. We see from our services the stark reality behind these figures. Families are under incredible mental stress; whether they have already been forced into homelessness or are facing the looming threat of eviction. Parents are at breaking point trying to maintain normal lives for their children. Childhoods are being blighted as children struggle to cope with parental stress and the reality of not having a safe, secure or appropriate home. The worrying thing is these figures probably don’t reflect the true impact of the eviction ban as these evictions normally take a few months after notices are served to take affect. We urgently need a family homelessness strategy with targeted measures for one-parent families.”
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Niamh Kelly, One Family Policy Manager said “There were 962 one-parent families living in homeless accommodation in April, 7% more than when the eviction ban was in effect in March. It must be remembered that these figures, while devastating, do not tell the full story and only capture those who are presenting to state funded emergency services. We are seeing from our services a whole cohort of people who are not captured in these numbers, who are couch surfing and staying with relatives in less than ideal circumstances. These families have been cut adrift and face increasing dangerous seas.”

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For Editors:

For further information visit: https://onefamily.ie/

For housing figures click here

Available for Interview

Karen Kiernan, CEO | t: 086 850 9191

Further Information/Scheduling

Noel Sweeney, Communications and Events Manager | t: 085 7241294
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On mark UN International Day of the Family, One Family is calling for a change to article 41.3 of the Constitution on the definition of the Family. We are calling for definition in the Constitution to be expanded to give rights and protection to all family forms; currently, the Constitution only recognises the married family. We are now hopefully on the verge of achieving a vote on this change with the referendum on Family, Care and Equality due to take place in November. The final wording of the referendum questions have not been finalised, but we know there is a commitment from Government to ensure that all families receive Constitutional protection. We need your support the ensure Government keep to their commitments and to help us in any campaign in the referendum.

For more information on article 41.3 click here: To join the campaign click here
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At a wonderful event at the National Library of Ireland (NLI) head office in Dublin, One Family/Cherish, today, donated their archives to the National Library of Ireland for safe keeping. CEO of One Family, Karen Kiernan said: “These archives give voice to the stories of women and children who were shunned by the State and by parts of society. When Cherish was established in 1972, there was no lone parents allowance and single pregnant women had an uncertain future – they were often thrown out of their homes, lost their jobs and were rejected by their communities. In these archives the words of these women endure, their voices are included in our national story and are now protected in the national archive.” To read the press release click here

The Cherish administrative and organisational records will be catalogued and available to researchers by the end of 2023. The Client Case Files and correspondence that contains personal information has been designated “Not for Consultation” (NFC) and will not be available to researchers. In collecting material relating to living persons, and in line with our statutory obligations under GDPR, the NLI applies a strict approach to the protection of privacy.
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National Library of Ireland marks acquisition of Cherish archive

Collection provides insight into life for lone-parent families from 1970s onwards

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The National Library of Ireland (NLI) has today (24.04.23) announced the acquisition of the archive of Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families One Family, formerly known as Cherish. Dating from the organisation’s establishment in the early 1970s to the early 2000s, the archive provides an insight into the experiences and challenges of one-parent families at that time.

Cherish was set up in 1972 by Maura O’Dea Richards after she placed an advert in The Evening Herald seeking to reach other women in Ireland who were unmarried and had children. A small number answered the advert and Cherish was born. It took its name from the 1916 Proclamation, which declared that Ireland would “cherish all of the children of the nation equally”. Cherish changed its name to One Family in 2004, in recognition of a changing Ireland in which one-parent families existed in many forms.
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The archive comprises two parts: the first contains case files that record the circumstances of individual women who came to Cherish for advice and support, and includes correspondence dating from 1974 to 1987. The second part of the archive contains the administrative records of the organisation, and includes AGM minutes, submissions, correspondence and publications lobbying for legislative reform.

Speaking at an event to mark the acquisition, Director of the NLI, Dr Audrey Whitty said: “The NLI is Ireland’s memory keeper and as such we are committed to collecting Ireland’s many voices and their diverse experience. We are increasingly adding the stories of women and under-represented groups to our collections. We are proud to receive these papers from Cherish, which provide a fascinating insight into the lives of one-parent families from the early 1970s, societal attitudes towards them, and how they have changed over the years.”
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CEO of One Family, Karen Kiernan said: “The archival material we have donated to the National Library provides insights into the lives of one-parent families in Ireland in the very recent past. It gives voice to the stories of women and children who were shunned by the State and by parts of society. When Cherish was established in 1972, there was no lone parents allowance and single pregnant women had an uncertain future – they were often thrown out of their homes, lost their jobs and were rejected by their communities. This comes through in some of the letters from service users that are included in the archive – some are heartbreaking, others are full of positivity where family and community support is clear.”

Mary Kerrigan ran the Clare/Limerick branch of Cherish for many years. She said: “Despite being an unmarried mother in the 1970s and the stigma I felt from some people, they may now think I am a very important person because the Cherish records are in the archives of the National Library of Ireland. What the women in Cherish did made a massive difference to society in Ireland, working hard for social, financial and legal rights for unmarried mothers and their children which is something One Family continues to this day. We did this with the help of people such as Mary Robinson, who was our President until she became President of Ireland.”

ENDS
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Notes to Editors:

In collecting material relating to living persons, and in line with our statutory obligations under GDPR, the NLI applies a strict approach to the protection of privacy. The Client Case Files and correspondence that contains personal information has been designated “Not for Consultation” (NFC) and will not be available to researchers. The Cherish administrative and organisational records will be catalogued and available to researchers by the end of 2023.

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Naomi Connolly from One Family’s Advocacy Project tells Social Inclusion Forum about her experience as a lone parent and changes she wants government to make For immediate release Thursday 8th May 2025

One Family joins 16 international organisations to launch new #SingleParentCommunity campaign Friday 21st March 2025 For immediate release

Available for interview: Lindsey Earner-Byrne, Professor of Contemporary History, Trinity College Dublin / Karen Kiernan, CEO One Family

Notes to Editor:

Grim statistics for one-parent families in Ireland once again show that Government policies designed to tackle poverty are failing

QUOTES

FURTHER INFORMATION

SOURCES

For press inquiries or to arrange an interview with our spokespeople,

contact us here.

20 December 2024

An innovative EU funded pilot programme supporting lone parents in the northeast of Ireland into education and employment was delivered in partnership between national voluntary sector organisation One Family and the Department of Social Protection (DSP) from 2021 to 2024.

QUOTES

For Editors

Further Information

For press inquiries or to arrange an interview with our spokespeople,

contact us here.

Key Asks for the next Programme for Government

Today, One Family, Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families, has launched its first dedicated national survey aiming to document the experiences and challenges of lone parents and their children living in Ireland.

The survey can be accessed through One Family’s website here.

QUOTES

For press inquiries or to arrange an interview with our spokespeople,

contact us here.

— Ireland’s poorest children live in low-income, one-parent families but, yet again, they do not feature on the Government’s priority list —

QUOTES

CONTACT

FOR EDITORS

QUOTES

CONTACT

FOR EDITORS

One Family calls for implementation of out of court solutions for Child Maintenance issues

Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families’ response to the publication of the Review of the Enforcement of Child Maintenance Orders

Press Release — NOPFA Demands Urgent Action on One-Parent Family Homelessness

Three out of every four families entering homelessness are one-parent families since eviction ban has been lifted

Press release – National One Parent Family Alliance

75% of families becoming homeless since eviction ban ended are headed by one parent

National Alliance of NGOs calls for urgent action on growing crisis among one-parent families.

Another Year Where Children are Left Looking for More

Budget 2024 Does Not Target Ireland’s Poorest Families

Oireachtas members join call for publication of wording for the upcoming equality referendum

15% increase in queries to national one-parent family helpline

Organisations call for wording on upcoming referendum to be published

Lone parents at breaking point ahead of Budget Forum Meeting

Press release – National One Parent Family Alliance

One Parent Families Must Be Prioritised in Budget 2024

Always the Two of Us – new documentary theatre on growing up in a one-parent family in Ireland

Higher rate of homelessness in one-parent families requires urgent Government action.

National Library of Ireland marks acquisition of Cherish archive

Naomi Connolly from One Family’s Advocacy Project tells Social Inclusion Forum about her experience as a lone parent and changes she wants government to make

For immediate release
Thursday 8th May 2025

One Family joins 16 international organisations to launch new #SingleParentCommunity campaign

Friday 21^st March 2025
For immediate release