by Alan Jacques
THE majority of mothers who give birth outside of marriage come from impoverished backgrounds, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Limerick.
‘Growing Up in a One-Parent Family’, funded by the Family Support Agency through the Irish Research Council also claims that rates of chronic illness prior to childbirth and smoking during pregnancy are higher among lone mothers.
Key findings of research carried out at UL, however, reveals that the apparent benefits of marriage, in relation to child development, are not related to marriage per se but to the background characteristics of the parents.
The research employs statistical techniques not previously applied to the study of the effects of family structure on child outcomes in Ireland and provides a detailed picture of differences in the socio-economic background of families.
According to UL’s lead researcher Dr Carmel Hannan, the findings are “significant” for current policy which provides supports for parents based on their family circumstances, rather than on the factors which directly influence child wellbeing.
“Marriage is not the answer to child disadvantage rather better educated and better resourced parents make for better educated, healthier and happier children,” said Dr Hannan.
One significant finding of the study indicates that, children from one-parent families and cohabiting families, fare similarly in most regards, to children from married families, when faced with similarly adverse conditions growing up.
