Being a single mother in Spain is synonymous in most cases with a precarious economic situation. Making ends meet means having to juggle to cover basic expenses and, in some cases, difficulties reach such a level that they begin to affect the ability to pay for children’s education, opening the door to a less educated generation than his parents. mothers.
The 12th report on Single Parenthood and Employment from the Adecco Foundation analyzes the difficulties encountered by this type of household, particularly when they are headed by women. The gender filter in the survey is explained by the fact that of the 1,944,800 single-parent households currently recorded in Spain, 81.4% are headed by a woman (1,582,100). Likewise, they are in the majority with unemployment and partiality. This reality leads in many cases to a bad economic reality.
First conclusion of the survey: 80% of unemployed women and heads of single-parent families struggle daily with poverty. This coincides with the results of the AROPE report, which estimates the risk of poverty and/or social exclusion in these households at 49.1%, well above the national average of 27.1%. Among the women questioned, eight out of ten recognizing themselves in this situation say they live under strong economic pressure, with great difficulty providing for their family (98%)very limited support networks and a feeling of isolation (95%) as well as a significant decrease in their self-esteem and mental health (93%).
Unemployment worsens poverty and exclusion in single-parent families. 80% of women head a family of this type, and unemployedidentifies with a situation of poverty and/or exclusion and “fights” daily to combat them. In other words, eight out of ten women in this situation live under strong economic pressure, with great difficulty providing for their family (98%, among these 80%), very limited support networks and a feeling isolation (95%, among these 80%). than 80%), as well as a significant decrease in their self-esteem and mental health (93%, in these 80%).
The director of inclusion of the Adecco Foundation, Begoña Bravo, indicates that this result “reflects the way in which unemployment in single-parent families places women in a situation of extreme vulnerability” and recalls that “poverty in this context is not only material, but is deeply linked to social exclusion which manifests itself in the difficulty of accessing essential services such as health, education or housing, in more social and professional marginalization”, with the corresponding impact on mental health.
In this sense, 93.8% of the women interviewed express some difficulty in making ends meet: 46.9% complete their monthly payment with great difficulty, 31.3% do so with difficulty and 15.6% recognize certain difficulties.
He drowning housing… and the risk of studies
These economic difficulties result in obstacles to covering basic expenses such as housing (87.5%) – the most important monthly item increases with the surge in prices -, the education of their children (53.1%) %), food (50.6%), supplies (46.9%), clothing (40%) or leisure (31.3%). The results indicate that most percentages have increased from the previous report, meaning that the cost of living has increased but not the purchasing power of these families.
Among the data, the increase in the difficulty of women who head single-parent households in meeting expenses related to the education of their children is striking (from 40.6% in 2023 to 53.1% in 2024). 57.1% of them have a medium-high level of education (University and/or Professional training) but their economic reality increases the risk that their children will have less access to studies and, consequently, a lower level of education of these lower than that of their parents. . Bravo considers that “we face an alarming forecast of a next generation with less training and/or employability than that of their parents” and warns that if we do not address the structural difficulties faced single-parent familieswe risk leaving a whole generation behind usperpetuating a system in which the economic situation of mothers determines the future of their children and in which social gaps widen.
The contradiction becomes obvious for women who head single-parent families: they urgently need employment (it is the only financial support for the household) but they have more difficulty than others in obtaining it. This is due to several factors, among which stand out the prejudices and stereotypes established in the labor market, which call into question their capacity or dedication, the absence of conciliation measures in the workplace or the lack of training opportunities in areas with high employability. In this sense, Bravo emphasizes that “women who head a single-parent family face barriers to entering the labor market because their skills and dedication, as well as their ability to reconcile work and family, are often called into question.
He access to decent employment becomes vital: 93.1% of those questioned consider that it is the main way to move forward and offer their children a more promising future. But the reality is different: four women out of 10 heads of single-parent families (46.9%) have been looking for a job for more than a year (43.8% have been looking for a job for one to two years). and 3.1% for more than two years) and 52.6% plan to work in the underground or irregular economy, given the urgency of economic income.
This is due to discrimination in employment due to their personal circumstances. 82% believe that their family reality truncates their professional prospects. In fact, 85% of the total number of people questioned do not find a working day suited to their needs and 66.3% highlight the “emotional burden” which makes it difficult to concentrate and pay attention to the active job search.
Besides decent employment, other factors that they believe could help them improve their situation are psychological support (87.5%), training opportunities that increase their employability (81.9%) or better access financial subsidies and/or public aid (75.9%). .
