The Everyday Challenges of Managing Limited Resources

The daily routine of single-parent families, especially those with single mothers as breadwinners for their young children, is plagued by multifaceted challenges. These challenges are outlined against the background of secondary analyses of the 2009 Labor Force Survey (microcensus), EU-SILC 2008 and GGS 2008/09. In addition, qualitative interviews have been carried out in selected areas of life with single mothers who have caretaking obligations and nurture children younger than 15 years of age concurrently. Despite a broad access to earnings, lone mothers show an excessive risk of poverty and deprivation. They are subjected to lack of time and resources, facing the distinctive challenge of being responsible for coordinating childcare and other professional issues. The coping strategies developed in addressing these requirements have been assessed. Finally, the present contribution considers the need for action on the part of welfare policies.