The author presents an ecological, family-centered approach to working with single-parent families. Using case examples, the author identifies four major issues resulting from divorce or separation that these families must confront. The article concludes with six practice principles for helping practitioners in their work.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AtlasS. (1981). Single parenting.Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
2.
BaneM., & WeissR. (1983). Alone together: The world of single-parent families. American Demographics, 5, 11–15.
3.
BarryA. (1979). A research project on successful single-parent families. American Journal of Family Therapy, 7, 65–73.
4.
BianchiS. M. (1995). The changing demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of single parent families. In HansonS. M. H., HeimsM. L., JulianD. J., & SussmanM. B. (Eds.), Single parent families: Diversity, myths and realities (pp. 71–97). New York: Haworth Press.
5.
BowenG. L., DesimoneL. M., & McKayJ. K. (1995). Poverty and the single mother family: A macroeconomic perspective. In HansonS. M. H., HeimsM. L., JulianD. J., & SussmanM. B. (Eds.), Single parent families: Diversity, myths and realities (pp. 115–142). New York: Haworth Press.
6.
BrownF. H. (1989). The post divorce family. In: CarterB., & McGoldrickM. (Eds.), The changing family life cycle: A framework for family therapy (2nd ed., pp. 371–398). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
7.
FoxM. F., & Hesse-BiberS. (1984). Women at work.Palo Alto, CA: Mayfield Publishing.
8.
GermainC. B. (1973). An ecological prospective in casework practice. Social Casework, 54, 323–330.
9.
GreifG. L., & DeMarisA. (1990). Single fathers with custody. Families in Society, 71, 259–266,
10.
GrozeV. K., & RosenthalJ. A. (1991). Single parents and their adopted children: A psychosocial analysis. Families in Society, 72, 67–77.
11.
HansonS. M. H. (1985). Single custodial fathers. In HansonS. M. H., & BozettE. W. (Eds.), Dimensions of fatherhood (pp. 369–392). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.
12.
HansonS. M. H., HeimsM. L., JulianD. J., & SussmanM. B. (Eds.). (1995). Single parent families: Diversity, myths and realities.New York: Haworth Press.
13.
HartmanA., & LairdJ. (1983). Family-centered social work practice.New York: Collier Macmillan.
14.
HodgkinsonH. (1987). All one system: Demographics of education—kindergarten through graduate school.Washington, DC: Institute for Educational Statistics.
15.
HowardT. U., & JohnsonF. C. (1985). An ecological approach to practice with single-parent families. Social Casework, 66, 482–491.
16.
KadushinA. (1970). Single-parent adoptions: An overview and some relevant research. Social Service Review, 44, 263–274.
17.
KissmanK. (1991). Feminist-based social work with single-patent families. Families in Society, 72, 23–28.
18.
MendesH. A. (1976). Single fatherhood. Social Work, 21, 308–312.
19.
MendesH. A. (1979). Single-parent families: A topology of life-styles. Social Work, 24, 193–201.
20.
MorawetzA. (1984). The single-parent family: An author's reflection. Family Process, 23, 571–576.