Lone parents and employment: An exploration of findings from the Families and Children Study 2006-08

"This working paper presents findings from longitudinal analysis of c.800 lone mothers who responded to the Families and Children Study (FACS) between 2006 and 2008. The analysis utilises data from the Choices and Constraints question set which was designed to capture the complexities of decision-making for parents around work and caring in order to better understand their decisions, motivations and barriers with regard to employment. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was undertaken to explore the relationship between some of the background characteristics of lone mothers who took part in FACS and how these interact with their attitudes, perceptions and intentions, which in turn impact on their employment outcomes. This analysis includes substantial technical detail as it was undertaken in order to explore the value of applying SEM to the Choices and Constraints question set. It was commissioned as part of the Lone Parent Obligations evaluation programme." -- Back cover