why is there a greater need for social workers today?

Answer 1

TV stars make it look easy. Murphy Brown and Friends have shown single women having babies with minimal life disruption. Calista Flockhart and Rosie O’Donnell make adoption look like a breeze. For most single moms, it isn’t that simple.

Yet single motherhood is on the rise. According to the 2000 U.S. census, almost a third of all children in the United States today are being raised in single-parent households, with more than 80 percent of them headed by single mothers. Although divorce is still the most common way in which women become single mothers, more than 40 percent of today's single moms have never been married, suggesting a significant shift in societal attitudes.

Becoming a Single Mom
Minnie R. Dabney, a clinical social worker in Lawrenceburg, Ky., who works extensively with women, children and youth, attributes the increasing number of women entering motherhood without partners to a movement away from the "psyche that a male counterpart was required for live-in parenting, or that having children without one made the woman a 'failure' as a woman."

The majority of women who choose single parenthood, says Dabney, want to experience motherhood fully but either have not had the opportunity, time or resources to meet the man they would want to spend their lives with or feel otherwise unable to make a lifetime commitment to a partner.

Advances in reproductive technology, as well as improved career opportunities for women, also factor into the increase in women making the choice to enter parenthood solo. Those who choose to adopt are finding agencies are more willing consider financially-secure single women as adoptive mothers.

Jody McKenna, a registered social worker employed as a program manager with the Family Services Employee Assistance Program in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, points out that although single motherhood has its stresses, "There are advantages," she says. "Single moms avoid the need to discuss and negotiate around key parenting issues ... she can shape a child in her own unique vision."

Obviously, the decision to become a “single mom by choice” requires a serious examination of a variety of issues and should not to be entered into without the proper commitment.

A Personal Decision
Elli Holman of Ashland, Mass., has a full understanding of the issues involved in the decision to become a single mother. She has done it twice: 5-year-old Jessica was conceived through artificial insemination, and two years later she adopted Emily, now 3, from Romania.

“I was 38 years old and in a financial position to do this on my own and figured that I could always get married but couldn’t always have a child,” says Holman.

For her, the biggest issues have been time and childcare. She works for a family-friendly company, which allows her the flexibility to leave early and work at home in the evenings when necessary. She moved close to her siblings in order to have daycare back up for her kids.

For Claudia Temple of Orcas, Wash., the decision to adopt two children came after her marriage disintegrated. Temple adopted Rhys, now 14, from India and Carly, now 9, from China. She faced a number of challenges, including finding reliable daycare, coping with her children’s special needs and being able to make enough money while still spending time with her kids. During the past four years, she has switched to a home office in order to be more available to her children. While dealing with these challenges was often overwhelming, she made it through the tough times.

Temple advises women contemplating this lifestyle to consider their own needs. “What was hard was carving out any time for myself and finding ways to keep myself going," she says. "Even now I have trouble with that since it is so easy to give 100 percent of your time and energy to your kids and your job.”

Other suggestions from Temple? “Network with other moms and find other single moms to help you out," she says. "Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Get organized, and don’t ever run out of milk.”

Gather Your Resources
Knowing the potential pitfalls going in should encourage potential single moms to come up with a plan of action, says Temple. Key issues often revolve around finances and social support.

Julie Newton of Virginia Beach, Va., is raising 3-year-old Brandon on her own and is expecting a second son in February. She says that it is essential to have a solid bank account, a flexible work schedule and a back-up plan.

When she became pregnant, single mom-to-be Robin Slaven moved from New Jersey to St. Petersburg, Fla., to work at a more family-friendly job. The new job has a better schedule and easier commute to allow her to spend more time with her son. Slaven also hired her cousin to assist with daycare and serve as backup support, which is especially helpful since her son is now only 6 weeks old.

Life with a newborn can be the most difficult time for single mothers, as this is a time rife with exhaustion and depression, so it is important to line up as much support as possible from family, friends and hired help. “The hardest thing is not having someone to share the joy with ... I would love to share those moments with a partner,” she says.

McKenna advises women considering the single-mom path to realistically ask themselves if they can handle this emotionally, physically and psychologically. “Think very hard about your single life and who you are and why you want this child,” she says.

Look for Support
Dabney points out a number of other issues that women should explore while in the “thinking-about-it” stage. For instance, if one becomes a mother via pregnancy, to what degree will the father be involved? “Also, how will she discuss the absence of its father or address the visitation rights of the father’s parents,” she says.

Jane Mattes knows how crucial support is when becoming a single parent. More than 20 years ago, this certified social worker and single mother founded a group called Single Mothers By Choice. She also wrote a book by the same name in 1994. “Single parenting does not necessarily mean parenting alone,” says Mattes. Single Mothers By Choice (SMC) now has chapters that meet regularly in most major cities across the United States.

Whether you are just considering becoming a single mother, are trying to adopt or conceive or are already a mother, organizations like Single Mothers By Choice can provide information, resources and peer support.

“We provide a network of mothers in the same area who can help newer mothers feel supported during the stressful early months of parenting," she says. "There are meetings, social gatherings, speakers and discussions … and also an opportunity to make friends with others in the same situation.”

In spite of all the challenges, moms who choose to parent solo are usually very happy with the lifestyle they’ve chosen. The joy of having the child they crave often overshadows the difficulties.

Answer 2

To correct the damage done by years of neglect and underfunding.

Answer 3

because there are more people in the U.S. ...we just recently reached 300mil people and the need for such services are growing.