For the last 100 years, single-parent families have captured the attention of policymakers, social reformers and researchers in the U.S. This attention is well deserved, as single-parent familiesāespecially those headed by womenāare much more likely to be poor than families headed by couples, and the income disadvantage they face is compounded by food insecurity and precarious housing. Single-parent families have also been hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to both unexpected earnings losses and heightened demands on parentsā time.
