New film calls for a ‘new chapter’ for single parents worldwide

The animation ‘Time for a New Chapter‘ was produced by Media Co-op in collaboration with experts from the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.  It was part of an Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded project entitled Vulnerability & One Parent Family Network (VOPFN), coordinated by Dr Janet Greenlees, Reader in Health History at Glasgow Caledonian and Lindsey Earner-Byrne, Professor of Contemporary Irish History at Trinity College Dublin, reflects both the history and the lived experiences of single parents and showcases the pride and strength in single parenthood.

The project was co-produced with network members including Dr Janet Greenlees, Reader in Health History at Glasgow Caledonian University, Professor Lindsey Earner-Byrne of Trinity College Dublin, Karen Kiernan, Chief Executive of One Family Ireland and Terese Edwards of the National Council for Single Mothers and their Children, Australia.

The animation highlights the diverse paths to single parenthood, celebrates the resilience and pride of single parents and challenges common misconceptions.

Through its narrative, it calls on governments to help write ‘a new chapter’ for single parents by developing policies that better support single parent families, including fairer social security, affordable childcare, secure housing, financial stability, and greater respect. Viewers are also encouraged to share their ideas on what the chapter should look like.

Dr Greenlees said:

“This animation is a unique collaboration and highlights the historic and current transnational similarities of the challenges faced by lone parents and how it’s time for a new chapter.

“Policies that address the needs of lone parents will benefit everyone.”

 Prof Earner-Byrne said:

“The project brought together international historians and NGOs to explore the history and the contemporary realities for single parent families across time and space. This collaborative animation highlights our findings that even where there is joy and resilience, there remains serious challenges and the historic shadow of stigma persists. We want to stress that it is time for a new chapter.”

Satwat Rehman, Chief Executive of One Parent Families Scotland, added:

“One Parent Families Scotland was founded in 1944 against a backdrop of systemic cruelty when unmarried mothers had their babies forcibly taken from them for adoption.

“While society has progressed since then, as this film so beautifully illustrates, single mothers still face significant barriers.
“My hope is that this film serves as a catalyst for change – to educate and to challenge outdated perceptions and push for long-overdue equality and recognition for single parents everywhere.”

 Karen Kiernan, CEO of One Family said:

“We are delighted to have collaborated on the development of this important animation, highlighting the joy and challenges of parenting alone. We plan to use this video to inform policymakers working to change hearts, minds and policies so that one-parent families can be supported to move out of poverty and into lives of dignity.”

Terese Edwards, Chief Executive of Single Mother Families Australia said:

“Single Mother Families Australia is thrilled to support and participate in this international initiative. We advocate for policies that celebrate and empower single mothers and their children.

“This engaging animation illustrates how respect can transform policy-making, paving the way for a new chapter. In Australia, this release coincides with the heartfelt national apology for the forced adoption practices that single mothers experienced.”

 Lucinda Broadbent, director of the animation, from worker’s Media Co-op said:

“Making this animation was a real collaboration. The media co-op team so enjoyed working with a lively network of historians and NGO activists across Scotland, Australia, England and Ireland. It was unusual and stimulating to bring together a group of women with different perspectives and insights, to pool their expertise and create a powerful film.

“Artist Sooz Reilly and I facilitated a series of workshops, in person and online, to tease out who they wanted to reach, and what impact they wanted the animation to have. We worked together on how best to get across in just three minutes the diversity of One Parent families, their resilience, the joys and challenges of bringing up kids on your own, and the policy changes that are needed to give One Parent families a fair deal.

“All of us at media co-op are looking forward to the impact the animation will have on raising awareness about one-parent families, the great job single parents do, and the injustices and prejudices they battle against.”