Australian mothers: fewer and poorer

One of the factors contributing to the decline in fertility in Australia is the fall in the proportion of young women who are partnered. This situation has been a factor in the sharp increase in the proportion of families headed by sole parents. In the absence of this increase, fertility would have fallen further, at least amongst women without post-school education. But the growing numbers of lone parents are shouldering a disproportionate share of the task of raising the next generation. Copyright. Monash University and the author/s