Magazine highlights 'Choices' for lone parents

Lone parents now have much broader life choices thanks to the New Deal initiative, Alan Shannon, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Social Development, has said.

Mr Shannon was speaking at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast during the launch of the third edition of the 'Choices' magazine produced specifically for lone parents in Northern Ireland.

The magazine is produced by the Social Security Agency in partnership with Gingerbread Northern Ireland. This issue contains stories from people who have benefited from the New Deal for Lone Parents and provides information and advice for those seeking to move into, or return to work by providing details on services and opportunities available to lone parents.

Mr Shannon said: "In the past number of years many people have taken part in New Deal for Lone Parents. Many have returned to work on either a full-time or part-time basis. Others have taken up the education or training options that are available. 'Choices 3' gives lone parents who are undecided a chance to read how and why others took the path they are currently on."

Welcoming the third edition of the magazine, Director of Gingerbread Northern Ireland Marie Cavanagh said: "We have packed in loads of useful and interesting information to explain what is on offer to lone parents and to signpost further information to ensure they get on the right track for them. The opportunities, resources and support are there and we wish to encourage people to benefit from them."

Organisations such as the Social Security Agency and Gingerbread Northern Ireland, together with the New Deal for Lone Parents, recognise the value of the growing contribution lone parents make to the community.

They are fully committed to ensuring that services are made available to lone parents to help break down the barriers they face and to promoting equality of opportunity for lone parents and their children.

In Northern Ireland there are around 95,000 lone parents - almost one in four families. The majority (86%) are women aged between 25 and 40 years old, 14% are men, 9.5% are under 24 years of age and 3% are teenagers.

A single parent can participate in the New Deal for Lone Parents if they are aged 16 or over, have a dependent child under 16, are not working, or are working less than 16 hours a week, and are not an asylum seeker, unless they have exceptional leave stay or have refugee status.

(SP)