FOR DEBATE - SOCIAL-POLICY AS A CAUSE OF CHILDHOOD ACCIDENTS - THE CHILDREN OF LONE MOTHERS

Almost one in five British mothers is a lone mother. Their children ha ve injury rates that are twice those of children in two parent familie s. In this article the link between lone parenthood and childhood inju ry is examined. The increased injury rates for the children of lone mo thers can be explained by the poverty, poor housing conditions, and so cial isolation of lone mothers in Britain. The problem of reconciling the demands of paid work with the demands of the unpaid work of childr earing is particularly difficult for lone mothers, who find themselves in a benefit dependent poverty trap. Many such mothers would seek pai d work if affordable day care were available. Day care would also prov ide a safe environment for their children, who are otherwise exposed t o the environmental hazards of poor housing. Provision of day care is a social polic;i that would have important effects on the health and w elfare oflone mothers and their children. These effects deserve to be properly evaluated.