gwen hines, CEO of Save the Children, UK

“The discrimination and stigma single parents face directly contributes to higher poverty rates and poorer mental wellbeing than other parents. That this discrimination continues relatively unchecked in this day and age is unconscionable, and undermines children’s rights. Adding single parents as a protected characteristic in the Equality Act would help ensure single parents are afforded the same rights as other groups who are at risk of unfair treatment, allowing single parent families to thrive.”

Marion Davis, Head of Policy and Strategy at One Parent Families Scotland

“OPFS fully supports the ‘Single Parent Rights’ campaign which calls on the UK government to add single parents as a tenth protected characteristic to the Equality Act, 2010. It is an injustice that single parent discrimination cannot be legally challenged because this is not illegal under UK law. While the Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination because of certain personal attributes and characteristics for example age, disability, race, marriage and civil partnership – single parents are excluded. Single parents who often face unfounded judgemental attitudes should be considered as a unique group and protected by the law from discrimination.”

Rachel Cule, founder and director of Single Parents Wellbeing

“As a single parent and co-founder of Single Parents Wellbeing, I am campaigning for single parents to be protected under the Equality Act. Single parents are more likely to suffer with mental health issues compared to married couples which can occur due to not being treated equally, especially in places such as the workplace. Single parents need to be protected like other vulnerable groups. We at Single Parents Wellbeing are proud to support this campaign.” 

Nicola Booth, founder of Single Parent Support and Advice Services

“I have been fighting for single parents to get more support and be treated equally for over eight years and fully back this campaign. Single parents should not be discriminated against, single parents are truly inspiring and doing an amazing job!”

Julie Hawkins, founder of Single Mums Business Network

“I am happy to support the Single Parent Rights campaign. For far too long we have suffered adversity as a direct result of being the unrecognised minority group and we pay a hefty price for parenting solo. I was campaigning similarly but the strength comes from working together and supporting each other, rather than trying to keep fighting solo! The Single Parent Rights campaign has my full support and no doubt that of my members.”

Aruna Bansal, Founder of Asian Single Parents Network

“We are happy to support a campaign that promotes the equal treatment of single parents in so many different aspects of everyday life. Being a single parent is such a struggle anyway, without the added differences that they often experience and have no choice but to endure.”

Laurence Guinness, Chief Executive of The Childhood Trust

“Being a parent is one of life’s most important responsibilities which is why single parents must be granted protected status in law to stop the appalling levels of discrimination and hardship currently suffered by so many single parent families.”

Andrea Robinson, CEO of Single Parents on Holiday

“As a former single parent and co-founder of Single Parents on Holiday, I am happy to support a campaign that protects, nurtures and supports single parent families. Single parents often have to work twice as hard to create a stable and happy home for their children, not least due to lack of government support and inequality in the workplace, which can lead to, or exacerbate, financial hardship and mental health issues. Protecting this vulnerable group under the law would be a step in the right direction.”

Zoe Desmond, founder of Frolo app

“In order for one-parent families to thrive they need to be acknowledged as just as valid, loving, and nurturing as two-parent families, and they need equality in the eyes of the law. It’s so inspiring to see frolos in the community fight for the rights of other single parents and we’re very proud to support the campaign.”

Bethan Jones, co-founder of Parenthood Matters

“As a co-founder of Parenthood Matters and a single parent to a small baby, I am proud to say that Parenthood Matters supports equality amongst single parents and will fight against single parent discrimination alongside the Single Parent Rights campaign”.

ZOE CHAPMAN, FOUNDER OF INDEPENDENT MOTHER

“As a single parent since pregnancy I have endured the prejudices and felt the stigma firsthand that close to 3 million other women in the UK alone have coped with unsupported. It is frankly shocking that a country who righteously stands by its strict moral standards, and fiercely guards its laws in an effort to set a precedent for other nations, has still not recognised Single Parents as an entity that needs protection.

When I started Independent Mother it was to show women that they should be proud of the incredible role they quietly and selflessly take on. We acknowledge that to break the stigma it must first be recognised and challenged.

Therefore we will continue to support this campaign until Single parents are added to the Equality Act 2010, then beyond this to ensure all those affected feel informed and protected against discrimination.”

Kate Daly, co-founder of Amicable

“Every family has the right to flourish whatever its make-up. A society that discriminates against single-parent families is unjust and should be challenged. Amicable is a pioneer of social justice having won our own high court battle promoting access to justice. We‘re very proud and determined to lend our voice to this campaign to ensure the lives of single parents are made easier not harder, removing stigma and challenging discrimination it all its forms.”

Emily Tredget, co-founder of Happity

“I co-founded Happity as a result of struggling with loneliness which for me resulted in post-natal depression, and my co-founder Sara is passionate about flexible working – areas we are passionate about improving. Both of these issues are of even more importance for single parents, and so we are delighted to support this campaign. Mental health is hard enough with a partner to lean on, I can only imagine how much harder this is as a single parent. We need the Government to recognise the difficulties single parents face, and put in place support to help, so that both parents today and the next generations to come maintain good mental wellness.”

Katie Massie-Taylor, CEO of Mush

“Mush supports all mums to be the happiest and most confident they can be and we believe they need to have equal rights regardless of relationship status.”