One Family believes in an Ireland where every family is cherished equally, and is enabled to enjoy the social, financial and legal equality to create their own positive futures.
One Parent Family Payment with Other Payments One-Parent Family Payment and Half Rate Maternity Benefit If you are pregnant and expect to be parenting alone then you may be eligible for both the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) and a half rate of Maternity Benefit, once you meet the necessary conditions of each payment. You can apply for the […]
Working Family Payment The Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax-free social welfare payment payable to working families who are on a lower income. The rate paid is based on family size. It may apply to you and your family if: The income limits, which are set out below, are based on weekly net income, that is, after […]
Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment The Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) is a means-tested payment under the Jobseeker’s Allowance Scheme for people who are parenting alone. If you have been in receipt of One-Parent Family Payment, and the payment is ending because your youngest child will be 7, you may be eligible for this payment. You may also be eligible if […]
One-Parent Family Payment The One-Parent Family Payment is a means-tested payment available to women and men under the age of 66 who are the main carers of their children or are raising their child or children without the support of a partner. You can be in employment and receive One-Parent Family Payment, if you meet the criteria […]
Parenting Alone Through School Breaks For some parents the school holiday is a respite time with a more relaxed routine. However, it can also be challenging if you’re not able to take time off work, have a lack of childcare options or are living on a tight budget. Getting through the school break can then […]
Celebrating Valentine’s Day As A Lone Parent Many lone parents hate Valentine’s Day as they feel it is a big reminder that they are on their own and society makes us feel like this is a failure (it isn’t!). But Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romantic love, it’s an opportunity to celebrate all different types […]
One Family’s Christmas guide for one-parent families For some one-parent families, Christmas can be particularly difficult. It can be a time when painful feelings are magnified. Financial strain, complicated access arrangements, and anxiety about the pandemic and the future. For all the happiness and good that can come from Christmas, it can also be a […]
One Family’s Parenting Team have developed a webpage to support parents of children aged 0-5 years. Children of this age group need special consideration when parents are parenting alone or parenting post-separation. The dedicated webpage is packed full of helpful information and resources to support parents as they navigate young children through family transition.
Halloween, having its roots in the Gaelic Samhain festival, is a wonderful time for family fun and games. As parents, we need to take precautions to ensure the safety of our children without taking away from the fun. Here we offer tips to make Halloween safe and fun this year: Consider having a party in your […]
This week’s ’10 Ways to …’ feature is about you looking after you. Read on for our ‘10 Ways to Parent Self-Care’. “I’m not perfect, I’m good enough” (Winnicot): Recognise that you are one person and you are doing the best you can. Give yourself a pat on the back – don’t wait for someone […]
Settling back into the school routine can be very challenging. When you are parenting school age children, the best way to make a plan is to do it together with your children, here are some tips to support you. Call a family meeting. If you have not tried this before, try not to be skeptical […]
Many children will be looking forward to some special time with Dads, Stepdads and Granddads on Father’s Day, though it is also a day that can bring challenges. In One Family, children are at the centre of our work and we support parents to help children to have contact with both parents where possible, unless it […]
Research tells us over and over again how valuable the outdoors is for us all. However how often do we really go outdoors, other than just getting to the car or catching a bus? Although the Autumn/Winter seasons can be a little harsh, children still love the outdoors at this time of year. Children learn so […]
Halloween, having its roots in the Gaelic Samhain Festival, is a wonderful time for family fun and games. As parents, we need to take precautions to ensure the safety of our children without taking away from the fun. Here we offer tips to help make Halloween safe and fun this year: Consider having a party in […]
One Family is conducting a survey to analysis its Parenting Programmes. Currently running in various locations and online, this survey will help evaluate the programmes as they are and be informative in planning of future programmes. Whether you have done a course with us before, are thinking about doing one or have not contemplated doing […]
Everyone has bad days with children, days when we don’t handle situations well, days when we want to scream and run out the door. It is normal to a certain extent to feel this way. Parenting is the hardest job in the world at times, and the most unrecognised and unsupported. When doing it on your own […]
Listening is not the same as hearing. To listen means to pay attention not just to what is being said but how it is being said, including paying attention to the types of words used, the tone of voice and body language. The key to understanding is effective listening. In this week’s ’10 Ways to’ we look at how to […]
When it comes to minor scrapes and falls, some children brush them off easily. Other children stop and seek sympathy with every scratch and scrape. Children can often seek sympathy for attention. Most parents, no matter how busy they are, will stop whatever they are doing when a child cries out from an injury. Children […]
Many parents look forward to days-off so we can do activities with our children and perhaps take them to places such as the cinema, bowling, play centres etc. Without realising, we train our children into wanting to go places. They think the weekends are about being active and going out and about all the time. […]
It’s just over 40 days to Christmas. Chances are Santa has already been mentioned in your house. But is this because you are using Santa as a tool, warning children that they must behave now or they won’t get any presents on Christmas morning? Threatening children that Santa won’t come is possibly the greatest idle […]
We want to protect our children from hurt and trauma in life but death is as much a part of life as living is. In order to prepare children for life we must prepare and support them to understand and feel comfortable with death. This week, we offer ’10 ways’ to approach the subject of […]
As children mature into teenagers, innocent childhood crushes on school-friends can give way to more serious romantic interest. By the time your child reaches secondary school, you can support them with dating. It is better as a parent to support this than to forbid them and have your child sneak behind your back. Allow your […]
Children are inquisitive. They love information. They ask constant questions because their minds are continuously processing everything they see and hear. Children come to their parents all the time to clarify the things they don’t really understand. As parents, we want to help our children learn and understand yet sometimes when they ask an ‘awkward question’ it is tempting […]
Many parents would describe themselves as busy but do not recognise when they are stressed. Recently I have wondered if parents are more stressed than they realise. The logistics of keeping our children’s lives running smoothly is very stressful. Added stress can come with parenting alone or sharing parenting and being a working parenting can […]
