a fascinating and meticulous text ... This is a superb piece of work ... The three authors, all distinguished researchers in the sociology of the family and family policy, have used their combined expertise to produce a book which is likely to be a classic ... This book should be required reading for all social workers in training, for their educators and their practice managers and, dare I say it, for the politicians, social commentators and media persons who pronounce with such certainty on the fecklessness of women without men when, in reality, their characterstics as a social group are as varied as the circumstances in which they live.

• 1. Introduction ; 2. The Changing Demography of Lone Motherhood ; 3. The Debate about the Law Affecting Marriage and Divorce in Twentieth Century Britain ; 4. Constructions of Unmarried Motherhood in the Post-War Period ; 5. Lone Motherhood: Characteristics, Circumstances, and Consequences ; 6. Social Security and Lone Mothers ; 7. Housing and Lone Mothers ; 8. Lone Mothers, Employment, and Child Care ; 9. Conclusions

a fascinating and meticulous text ... This is a superb piece of work ... The three authors, all distinguished researchers in the sociology of the family and family policy, have used their combined expertise to produce a book which is likely to be a classic ... This book should be required reading for all social workers in training, for their educators and their practice managers and, dare I say it, for the politicians, social commentators and media persons who pronounce with such certainty on the fecklessness of women without men when, in reality, their characterstics as a social group are as varied as the circumstances in which they live.

• 1. Introduction ; 2. The Changing Demography of Lone Motherhood ; 3. The Debate about the Law Affecting Marriage and Divorce in Twentieth Century Britain ; 4. Constructions of Unmarried Motherhood in the Post-War Period ; 5. Lone Motherhood: Characteristics, Circumstances, and Consequences ; 6. Social Security and Lone Mothers ; 7. Housing and Lone Mothers ; 8. Lone Mothers, Employment, and Child Care ; 9. Conclusions