A presentation done as a part of our social & public policy studies at the University of Jyväskylä. The presentation examines the position of single parents in Finland, Germany and the United States. How well do the countries' social policies and practices regarding single parenthood fit in with Esping-Andersen’s typography of liberal, corporatist and social-democratic models of welfare state?

1. SINGLE PARENTS OF WELFARE STATE
The Position of Single Parents in Finland, Germany and United States

2. Indicators of Welfare Related to
Single-Parent Families
Family Type The partnership patterns are changing and the number
of single-parent families is constantly growing.
Employment The parents’ employment status is statistically the
single biggest poverty risk factor.
Income Level/Poverty Rate Changes in poverty rates are a sign of
relative success or failure of the welfare state.
Gender Equality Most single parents are female in all the sample
countries and across the world.

3. Esping-Andersen: Welfare Regimes
Poverty/
Employment Gender Social security
Inequality
Generally high
Social- employment and High female employment
Low Redistributive
Democratic low facilitated by child care
unemployment
Lower levels of Low female employment
employment; levels, with benefits to
Corporatist Medium Earnings-related
persistent encourage mothers to stay
unemployment at home
Emphasis on
High part-time female
High levels of means- tested
employment, but lack of
employment and benefits paid at
Liberal High childcare provision limits
low low levels and
opportunities for full-time
unemployment more recently in-
employment
work assistance

4. Hypothesis Based on the Typical
Characteristics of Welfare Regimes
How do the selected sample countries perform in fulfilling the
purpose of welfare state? How do the countries’ policies
correspond with Esping-Andersen’s typography of the regimes?
Finland Expectation: High. Social-democratic regime should support
single-parent families with subsidies, supportive social policies and
daycare arrangements.
Germany Expectation: Mediocre. The corporatist regime is likely to
provide good benefits for stay-at-home parents, but the social policies
are not expected to support mothers’ labour force participation.
United States Expectation: Poor. Typically a liberal regime does not
offer any cash benefits, possibly some support for finding
employment. Childcare is likely to be expensive and inflexible.

5. Rate of Single-Parent Families in
Sample Countries
Finland Germany United States
There is a notable upwards
trend in the rate of single- 30
parent families in almost every
country.
22.5
OECD estimates that this trend
will continue in all countries
15
except Germany.
Governments are forced to 7.5
review their social policies to
adjust to the changing
partnership patterns. 0
1992 1995 2000 2005 2008 2011

6. SOCIAL-DEMOCRATIC REGIME: FINLAND
Income, Employment & Subsidies

7. Relative Child Poverty Rates
in Finland
Not counting transfer payments
Counting transfer payments
70
52.5
In Finland and Nordic countries
in general, poverty is not a
problem for the majority of 35
families with two parents.
17.5
0
FISP FI2P DESP DE2P USSP US 2P

8. Finland: Employment of Single
Parents
Labour-force participation in Employment rate of single
Finland differs from other parents & single mothers
Nordic countries:
Single Parents Single Mothers
Women’s labour force
participation lower (72%) 100
No strong tradition of part-
time work 80
60
Subjective right to daycare for
all children under 6 - reduced 40
fees / free for low-income
families. 20
44 weeks parental leave 0
Mid-2000’s 2007
entitlement

9. Finland: Specific Policies to Support
Sole-parent families
Work
Income or Max rate of Reduced
Name Eligibility testing /
assett test payments amounts
Conditional
Supplement Cares for a EUR 46,60
in family child less None No per child per Not reduced
allowance than 17 years month
Finland
Cares for a
Advance on EUR 129,91/
child less None No Not reduced
maintenance month
than 17 years

10. Attitudes Towards Single-Parents
in Finland
Agree marriage is an out-of-date institution
The state’s treatment of A home with a mother and father not vital
unmarried parents, widows and Disapproves voluntary single motherhood
separated parents affects the 50
attitudes
40
Mothers more likely to be
questioned about their choices
30
than fathers
20
A single parent who chooses
home care instead of working
will easily be evaluated much 10
more critically then one of the
parents in two-parents families 0
making the same decision.

11. CORPORATIST REGIME: GERMANY
Income, Employment, Subsidies & Attitudes

12. Relative Child Poverty Rates
in Germany
Not counting transfer payments
In year 2000 lone parents’ Counting transfer payments
monthly net household income: 70
Lone-parent households
€1777 euro 52.5
39% of single parents earn
35
< €1300/month
~50% of single parents 17.5
earn €1300-€2600 / month
Couples with children €3499 0
FISP FI2P DESP DE2P USSP US 2P

13. Germany: Employment of Single
Parents
Employment rate of single
In western Germany, only 16% parents & single mothers
of kindergartens have all-day
Single Parents Single Mothers
classes, while in the east the
figure is 71% 100
Germany boasts the highest 80
duration of the job-protected
leave entitlement of 162 weeks 60
40
Paid time off for 4-week annual
leave, 12 holiday days, paid 20
sickdays for jobholder & child
sickness. 0
Mid-2000’s 2007

14. Germany: Specific Policies to Support
Sole-parent families

15. Attitudes Towards Single-Parents
in Germany
Agree marriage is an out-of-date institution
Single parents are often A home with a mother and father not vital
Disapproves voluntary single motherhood
confronted with negative
imputations and reservations 50
especially at work place
40
However, they evaluate their
own situation mostly as positive 30
They are less satisfied with their 20
life in general than married
parents 10
They often need to rely on the
0
help of family and friends Finland Germany

16. LIBERAL REGIME: UNITED STATES
Income, Employment, Subsidies & Attitudes

17. Relative Child Poverty Rates
in United States
Not counting transfer payments
Counting transfer payments
70
If employed U.S. single mothers 52.5
earned as much as comparable
men, their annual earnings
35
would increase 17% and their
poverty rate would fall by half.
17.5
0
FISP FI2P DESP DE2P USSP US 2P

18. United States: Employment of Single
Parents
Employment rate of single
Highest rate of single parent
parents & single mothers in US
employment.
Single Parents Single Mothers
The federal government does
100
provide some funding for child
care subsidies for low income
80
parents, which improves single
mother employment rates. 60
Only 12-week unpaid maternity 40
leave entitlement. No other paid
time off for holidays or sick days 20
- some companies provide paid
0
leave voluntarily. Mid-2000’s 2007

19. United States: Specific Policies to
Support Sole-parent families

20. Financial Assistance and Other Support
Available for Single Parents in the US
Government Local
Financial assistance available for Financial assistance available if
children under 18 on certain other parent fails to pay or pays
conditions inconsistently
Temporary Assistance for Needy Job training programs and
Families program or TANF (not educational grants to aid single
specific to single-parent families) mothers’ employment
Food stamps The Section 8 program - financial
assistance for housing costs
Low cost health insurance for all
children
Low Income Home Energy
Assistance Program

21. Attitudes Towards Single-Parents
in United States
Agree marriage is an out-of-date institution
A home with a mother and father not vital
Disapproves voluntary single motherhood
Never-married custodial
50
mothers are viewed negatively
in terms of personal
characteristics and parenting 40
abilities.
30
Americans find it easier to
accept other changes in family 20
structure (gay couples,
cohabiting, interracial, working 10
mothers) than single
motherhood.
0
Finland Germany US
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08952833.2012.648121
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/02/16/the-public-renders-a-split-verdict-on-changes-in-family-structure/?src=family-interactive

22. CONCLUSIONS
Finland, Germany & United States

23. Conclusions
Finland is not a typical example of Nordic countries, but roughly corresponds
to Esping-Andersen’s social-democratic regime. Finland’s social policies
encourage labour-market participation of mothers of small children through
universal provision of social services and employee rights, extensive
maternity leave systems and daycare services.
US sole parent families have the highest poverty rate despite having the
highest rate of single-parent employment. This can be explained by single-
parents typically holding low-wage jobs. The lack of basic economic security
and measures that would help balance work and family life put a great strain
on single parents in the US.
The main problem in Germany is the lack of child care arrangements. Also
the nation’s attitudes are reflected in the policies: the system does not
support single-parent family model. This ties in with Esping-Andersen’s
description of the corporatial welfare regime model.

24. THANK YOU!
Laura Browne, Ulrike Gansen, Anna-Kaisa Keinänen,
Sari Leppänen, Satu Sironen, Lotta Tiihonen

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