A feminist family agenda: putting the mother back into sole parenting

In this article a feminist approach is taken towards affirming the position of single mothers within policy debates concerning sole parents. The article examines the ways in which the interests of single mothers may be subsumed within the generic terms 'sole parent'. It points out that although women generally bear most of the costs of providing for children after relationship breakdowns, recent policy initiatives have resulted in tax benefits to single fathers who undertake 10 percent of the care of their children. The article suggests that the inequality of income support is one effect of the efforts of a vocal male minority of single fathers to vilify single mothers and misrepresent their motives. It argues that gender neutral policies in relation to sole parents fail to recognise that post separation poverty is intrinsically gendered.