Only two-thirds of British children live with both parents

[Fittster]

"The UK has just two-thirds of children living with both parents, one of the lowest rates in the western world, according to research by a global development organisation.

Only in Belgium, Latvia and Estonia are children less likely to live in a household with both their father and mother.

The analysis by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed that 68.9% of children live with both parents in the UK, well below the average of 84%. The lowest percentage was in Latvia at 64.9%, while the highest was in Finland where it stood at 95.2%.

The UK percentage is low in contrast with other western European countries, such as Germany (82%), Italy (92.1%), Spain (91.5%) and France (79.5%). In the 70.7% of children live with both parents.

The figures, which looked at the living arrangements of children aged between 0 and 14 in 30 OECD member countries, relate to 2007.

They also show that the proportion of children living only with their mother in the UK is 27.6%, while 2.4% live only with their father. Only Latvia has a higher percentage of children living with just their mother, at 30.2%."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/dec/29...

Shocking as it's known that a stable family is one of the keys to a child's success.

[Changedmyname]

Yeah awful I know my son has a brother from another mother.
Sign of the times?

[Fort Jefferson]

Fittster said:

"The UK has just two-thirds of children living with both parents,

I'm suprised it's that high, I would have though two-thirds of children "didn't" live with both parents.

[zygalski]

The "me" generation brought up in UK during the 1980's & 1990's.
Hardly surprising that only 70% of our kids grow up with both parents.
However on the plus side, the immigrant population probably raises the % a little, since they have a far stronger sense of family than we do.

[Eric Mc]

Fittster said:

"Shocking as it's known that a stable family is one of the keys to a child's success.

A single parent might well provide a more stable environment for a child than a rowing couple.

[Pesty]

Fort Jefferson said:

Fittster said:

"The UK has just two-thirds of children living with both parents,

I'm suprised it's that high, I would have though two-thirds of children "didn't" live with both parents.

Was thinking exactly the same thing.

[Fittster]

Eric Mc said:

Fittster said:

"Shocking as it's known that a stable family is one of the keys to a child's success.

A single parent might well provide a more stable environment for a child than a rowing couple.

There are always exceptions but generally a child is better off living with two parents.

"Researchers are tracking children’s behaviour, school choice and cognitive development as part of the on-going Millennium Cohort Study, which is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.
Two major analyses of the data – published today – chart the impact of parenting on children born at the turn of the millennium.

In one study, researchers surveyed 13,500 mothers to gage children’s behaviour. They were asked to rate their hyperactivity, conduct, emotional problems and relationships with peers. Researchers then grouped children into three categories ranging from “normal” to “serious behavioural problems”.
It found that stepchildren and children with lone parents were most likely to be badly behaved. Fifteen per cent of stepchildren and 12 per cent of children with lone parents fell into this category, compared with six per cent living with both natural parents.
Behavioural problems were less likely among children living in families with higher levels of parental qualifications, it was disclosed.
Academics insisted further research was needed into the link between single parents and children’s behaviour."

[bitchstewie]

I'm not really sure what you can infer from the statistics though?

Too many couples separating?
Too many married couples divorcing?
Too many women deliberately deciding to have children for the benefits?
All of the above?

Seems a little bit of a meaningless statistic in itself?

[The_Burg]

TBH i'm more surprised there are that many with 2 parents living together.
Does this include all the returning kids going back home in their 20s?

[MartG]

Eric Mc said:

Fittster said:

"Shocking as it's known that a stable family is one of the keys to a child's success.

A single parent might well provide a more stable environment for a child than a rowing couple.

I'd have to agree with this. After my divorce both my sons initially lived with my ex ( and visited me regularly ), but after about a year my eldest had a row with her and moved in with me ( he was 12 at the time ) - six years on he said it was the best decision he ever made, citing her irrational moods, her tendency to be a control freak, and her relationship with her new partner. He has refused to even speak to her following another row 5 months after he moved in with me.

Since then he has gone on to get high grades at GCSE, is doing well at A level, and plans to go to Uni next year to study particle physics. He is in a stable relationship with his girlfriend, has a large group of friends, seems to be reasonably popular with his peers, is polite and displays no evidence of behavioural issues.

By comparison his brother, who still lives with my ex, is prone to emotional outbursts and generally seems to be less mature than his brother was at the same age. Sadly I no longer see him as thanks to my ex's campaign of slagging me and his brother off at every opportunity he no longer wants to visit us - hopefully as he gets older he'll come to realise what she's been up to, in the meantime I do whatever I can to show I still love him and want to see him.

In conclusion, I think a lot depends on the parent in question - in my view a supportive single parent is way better than a houshold with two adults in it but with a disruptive/strained atmosphere.

[y2blade]

Pesty said:

Fort Jefferson said:

Fittster said:

"The UK has just two-thirds of children living with both parents,

I'm suprised it's that high, I would have though two-thirds of children "didn't" live with both parents.

Was thinking exactly the same thing.

Same.
I'm surprised it is as high as two-thirds "with" both parents too, would have expected it to be the other way round.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Eric Mc said:

A single parent might well provide a more stable environment for a child than a rowing couple.

Agreed. They'd both spend far to much time on the river practising for the next regatta and their kids might be neglected. They should take up a less demanding sport.

[Eric Mc]

Even worse if they're coxless pairs.

[anonymous-user]

And there was me thinking that same-sex marriage would signal the end of "normal" marriage....seems like you can manage to destroy the "sanctity" of that institution all on your own.

[Galsia]

Fittster said:

"Only in Belgium, Latvia and Estonia are children less likely to live in a household with both their father and mother."

Maybe all of the Latvians and Estonians in the UK skew the figures a bit?

[BlueMR2]

This was 2007 though, 5 years later with high levels of stress in the current financial climate there have probably been alot more separations.

[King Herald]

The UK has nearly twice as many single parent families under age 21 than any other country in Europe.

That will probably contribute to the problem, as I don't see 'dad' moving back in once mum gets a bit older.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Confirming once again that Brits are now so poor they can't afford to separate/divorce. Oh hang on a minute ...... silly me ..... of course both sides of the family can live separately on benefits.

[sugerbear]

Fittster said:

Shocking as it's known that a stable family is one of the keys to a child's success.

A tiny insignifiant factor in a childs success. Living in a st part of town, going to a st school, your parents being poor, your parents being alcoholics/drug addicts are the most important factors.

Plenty of middle/upper class fathers/mothers split up but their children go on to have successful lives. Some people even send their children to boarding school, but you dont see them in prison when they are older.

Blaming social problems on children not *living* with both parents is very blinkered.

[chris watton]

sugerbear said:

Fittster said:

Shocking as it's known that a stable family is one of the keys to a child's success.

A tiny insignifiant factor in a childs success. Living in a st part of town, going to a st school, your parents being poor, your parents being alcoholics/drug addicts are the most important factors.

Plenty of middle/upper class fathers/mothers split up but their children go on to have successful lives. Some people even send their children to boarding school, but you dont see them in prison when they are older.

Blaming social problems on children not *living* with both parents is very blinkered.

From strictly personal experience, 'poor parents' (as in not a lot of money) makes no difference to a childs success or otherwise - or at least, it never used to. Basic morals and being taught the difference between right and wrong ar a lot more important, IMOHO.