The impact of single parenting on children and the role of social work in supporting them

The paper explores the impacts of single parenting on children and the role of social work in supporting them. The study aims to understand life challengers among children in single parent families and their vulnerability to psycho-social issues affecting well-being of them. It can be helpful to social work professionals to understand the role of social work in supporting children in single parent families. Thestudy setting was Semi urban area, located in Gampaha district which is reported high rates of single parent families. The study applied qualitative approach Using case studies produced more in-depth and comprehensive informationfor the study. Semi structured interviews; and observation were mainly used for the data collection. The data were categorized in to five themes and finding revealed that several factors contribute to the vulnerability of children in single parent household including inadequate income, multiple caring responsibilities, and lack of parental emotional support negatively impact the development process and the wellbeing of children. The study suggests some methods for best social work practice when working with single parent families and their children.