Media
For press-related enquiries, requests for information or to arrange interviews or comments, please contact: media@opfs.org.uk or call 0131 556 3899.
Key Statistics
- 9 in 10 single parent families are headed by women.
- 12% of single parents are fathers.
- The average age of a single parent is 39, and 1% are teenagers.
- There are 144,000 single parent families, making up 25% of all families with dependent children.
- 4 out of 10 children in poverty in Scotland live in a single parent family.
- 33% of single parents identify as disabled.
- Single parents have the highest proportion of households in fuel poverty.
- The financial wellbeing of single parents is declining, those is ‘serious financial difficulties’ rose from 23% in October 2021 to 34% in December 2022.
- 38% of children in single parent families are in poverty, compared with 24% in other families.
See annual report below for references.
Describing One Parent Families Scotland
Below are some descriptors to use in communications about One Parent Families Scotland.
The acronym OPFS is used below. The first time you use our acronym, explain it in full, and then refer to it by initials, for example, One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS). Don’t use an acronym if you are not going to use it again later in the text.
Vision and Mission
Our Vision
A Scotland where single parent families are celebrated in all their diversity, are treated fairly and live free from discrimination and poverty.
Our Mission
To amplify the voices of single parent families in their unique role as sole carers and breadwinners and together challenge stigma, poverty and inequality to achieve change.
The OPFS descriptor
Describing OPFS
One Parent Families Scotland is the national organisation for single parent families.
We support family wellbeing, empower single parents with the right advice and information and enable parents to access training, employment and education. Our national advice and information service and family hubs in six local areas reach thousands of single parent families each year.
We campaign for improvements in the here and now and for structural and systemic change alongside single parents who are experts in their dual role of caregiving and providing for their children. We take an intersectional approach, recognising most single parents are women and that many BAME, disabled and young single parents face multiple structural barriers affecting access to services and opportunities.
Describe OPFS in one line
One Parent Families Scotland provides single parent tailored information, support and advice, and campaigns with single parents to make their voices heard to encourage positive policies for single parent families.
Our strapline
Changing lives, challenging poverty
OPFS strategy 2019-24
The OPFS strategic plan describes what One Parent Families Scotland is working to achieve, in partnership with single parents, over the next three years. It is based on principles of equality, fairness and inclusion. We value and support the meaningful participation of single parents in shaping and delivering our services and to campaign for positive change in policies affecting single parents lives.
Strategic Plan 2019-24
Annual Report and Accounts
View our annual report for 2023-24
OPFS Logo
To use our logo for print media download the high resolution EPS version.
Logo for online purposes download SVG version
Low resolution JPG version can be found here.
One Parent Families Scotland Introduction
One Parent Families Scotland is the leading charity working with single parent families in Scotland. We provide expert advice, practical support and campaign with parents to make their voices heard to change the systems, policies and attitudes that disadvantage single parent families.
One Parent Families Scotland Advice & Information service
One Parent Families Scotland offers single parents a wealth of advice and information on tailored topics, a dedicated free phone helpline, live chat and face-to-face family support services.
One Parent Families Scotland Health & Wellbeing service
OPFS knows that poverty and inequality, alongside the particular challenges that single parents across Scotland face, can have a significant impact on the mental health and wellbeing of both parent and child(ren). Find out more about our Health & Wellbeing services for single parents.
Support One Parent Families Scotland
Through our work with single parents in Scotland over the past 75 years, we have learnt that what family’s value most about One Parent Families Scotland is that we understand what it means to be the sole carer and breadwinner in the family – juggling work, education, childcare and quality time with children.
Please support our work by donating. Your money will make a real difference to the lives of many single parent families.