This paper evaluates the model of ideal type care regimes, as introduced by
Jane Lewis and Barbara Hobson, as a means of understanding the comparative
position of lone mothers in different welfare regimes. It does this in the
light of an application of the model to the case of Austria. We find that
the model offers insights and advances in understanding the comparative sit
uation of lone mothers in Austria, bur the analysis also points to certain
shortcomings in the model. Partly these ave problem of range and, to adequa
tely represent outcomes for lone mothers, a 'negative' dimension of poor ou
tcomes needs To be developed for both the ideal types postulated - the 'Car
egiver Social Wage' model and the 'Parent/Worker' model. Secondly, there is
a problem of mis-specification of process, as revealed by the case of Aust
ria where lone mothers seemed to be positioned in the 'Parent/Worker' model
(if somewhat negatively), while married mothers were positioned within the
'Caregiver Social Wage' model. An answer may be to modify the specificatio
ns of the second ideal type as a 'Caregiver/Breadwinner Social Wage' model.