One-Parent Families and Vulnerability Network [O-PFV]

Current inflation and the cost of living crisis have again turned the gaze of politicians and the public towards the plight of some of society’s most vulnerable citizens. Yet some of the most vulnerable members remain marginalized from policy. Historically and currently, single mothers and their children have had some of the worst health outcomes, been scorned by society and politicians and side-lined from access to relevant health and welfare services. This project will develop an international network of historians researching related issues and third sector organizations with historic precedents working with single mothers to share histories, network, and establish an interdisciplinary research agenda going forward. This funding will arrange extended workshops in Glasgow and Dublin to share current research, highlight how vulnerability has been mis-understood, portrayed and addressed. We will consider issues of how to preserve histories of marginal groups, while challenging researchers’ perceptions and understandings of life on the margins. This funding will enable a pilot website seeking to capture the voices of lived experiences and will facilitate collaborating with media partners to share our findings with diverse audiences.