The double challenges of single parents raising children with disabilities
Burciu, Roxana-Diana (Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics)
Balbo, Nicoletta (Università commerciale Luigi Bocconi)
Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics

Fecha:	2026
Resumen:	This paper sheds light on the health-related, economic, and social well-being of single parents of children with disabilities, a population often overlooked in research. Much literature examines single parenthood and child disability independently and generally finds negative consequences of experiencing either. Yet, little is known about the well-being of parents at the intersections of single parenthood and raising a child with a disability. Drawing on data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study, the study compares the health-related, economic, and social well-being of single parents of children with disabilities to that of single parents of non-disabled children and partnered parents. The findings show that single parents of children with disabilities experience significantly worse mental and physical health, higher rates of poverty and lower employment rates. These challenges are compounded by the lack of appropriate childcare and limited support from non-residential parents and extended family members, which further constrains parents' ability to work. This study investigates a neglected social group and contributes to the literature by integrating two separate strands of research-single parenthood and child disability-and identifying the unique disadvantages that stand at their intersection.
Ayudas:	European Commission 101077533
Derechos:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Lengua:	Anglès
Documento:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Materia:	Disability ; Family ; Intersectionality ; Single parenthood ; Well-being
Publicado en:	European journal of population, 02 2026, ISSN 1572-9885

DOI: 10.1007/s10680-026-09767-9

49 p, 2.2 MB

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Documentos de investigación > Documentos de los grupos de investigación de la UAB > Centros y grupos de investigación (producción científica) > Ciencias sociales y jurídicas > Centre d’Estudis Demogràfics (CED-CERCA)
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