FYI

Single mothers

The figures also show that the number of babies born to single mothers is about 10% higher than it was 10 years ago.

In 1993, 32.2% of births were outside marriage. In 2003,this figure stood at 41.4%.

Data for 2002 showed around 90% of births to teenagers occurred outside of marriage.

This compares to 63% of births to women aged 20-24 and 36% of births to women aged 25-29.

Norman Wells, director of Family and Youth Concern, said the trend in babies born to single mothers and women in cohabiting relationships was concerning. "Marriage is more than just a piece of paper," he said.

"Cohabiting relationships are much less stable than marriages and cohabitations with children are even more likely to break up than childless ones."

He estimates about 40% of lone parent families are created through the break up of cohabiting unions.

"Children born to cohabiting parents are more likely to experience disruptions in their family life which can have negative consequences for their emotional and educational development," he explained.

He said that statistically, children born to single parents were at higher risk of mental and emotional problems and were more likely to have trouble in school.

He called on the government to review its policy on teenage pregnancy and to do more to encourage the traditional family unit.
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Not a thing you can just say "whatever" about.

G