Support for Young Single Mothers
How Single Parents Can Survive Financially on Their Own
Sep 12, 2009
Being a young single mother with little professional training is a difficult situation to be in; it's tough to stay on track financially and near impossible to get ahead. Staying on top of finances and getting the extra assistance needed to stay afloat can be possible through government help, social services and family support.
Government Help for Single Moms
The Canadian government has programs in effect that will give financial supplements to qualifying families, aiding in childcare and living costs. For example, there are the Canadian Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) and the Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) programs available. They provide financial installments for families with children under 18. The CCTB is a payment based on income for eligible families to help cover the cost of raising children. The UCCB is a monthly payment of $100 per child. These benefits can be applied for online or at a local Service Canada office.
For single mothers who work part time or at jobs that don't provide maternity leave benefits, there is maternity leave employment insurance available through the Canadian government. Applicants must have worked at least 600 insurable hours in the previous year to qualify.
Local Assistance for Single Mothers
For help in other areas of need, such as buying clothes and food and finding affordable housing, single mothers can turn to several local services and churches that provide assistance. Project S.H.A.R.E. of Niagara Falls, Ont., is an example of a local non-profit organization that specializes in gathering food supplies, helping with housing, and providing resources for low-income families.
Single Parent Support
The proper support from family and friends can be a deciding factor in keeping many single parent homes on track. Having the emotional and financial assistance available when needed can make the world of difference. It doesn't matter what the dynamics of the family are, being a single parent shouldn't hinder the experience.
Many people may believe that the cookie-cutter family is still the norm, but according to an article entitled "Confronting the Myths of Single Parenting" from Single Parenting in the Nineties, [Pilot Publishing, 1995] Loanda Cullen, M.A. says that is no longer the case. Cullen says the number of single-parent homes have more than doubled and that a majority of children in the United States will live in one of these homes at least once.
These single parent families are more and more common, making a mother on her own much more likely to succeed comfortably now than she would have in the past. The rising of this specific family dynamic has created a growing need for social services and government help; there are now an abundance of resources available to young single mothers.
Beginning a life with a new baby will have enough tribulations as it is, don't let financial difficulty be one of them. Young struggling single mothers can survive on their own financially. They just need to know where to look for the help that's readily available.
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