A new report looking at family welfare has highlighted the vulnerability of single-parent households.
The Families Commission report looks at how families of different make-ups rate their wellbeing.
It has found that while many families with young children are under financial strain, more than half of single parents with children under 18 are on low incomes.
Single-parent families are also less likely to reach higher levels of education, and report high rates of mental-health issues.
Nearly half the single-parent families with young children said they faced problems in their neighbourhood and did not feel safe at night.
