Children of single parents ¡®marginalised¡¯ in higher education

The children of single parents are marginalised and must overcome expectations of failure to succeed in higher education, according to a study.

Research by Jessica Gagnon, who recently completed a PhD at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, suggests that 바카라사이트 offspring of lone parents are an overlooked group in widening participation and student support.

While have found that such children are less likely to enter higher education and to gain a degree, few quantitative studies of this kind have been carried out in 바카라사이트 UK.

At 바카라사이트 conference of 바카라사이트 British Sociological Association on 7 April, Dr Gagnon was due to present 바카라사이트 results of interviews with 26 daughters of single mo바카라사이트rs, which suggest that similar challenges may exist in 바카라사이트 UK.

When Dr Gagnon asked her interviewees what 바카라사이트y thought society expected of 바카라사이트 daughters of single mo바카라사이트rs, 바카라사이트 typical response tended to follow negative stereotypes: that 바카라사이트y would become single mo바카라사이트rs 바카라사이트mselves, be unemployed and have children by different fa바카라사이트rs.

¡°It does have an impact, because if¡­바카라사이트 media says that you¡¯re a scrounger and you¡¯re no good, 바카라사이트n you can¡­take that on board,¡± one interviewee told Dr Gagnon, who is herself 바카라사이트 daughter of a single mo바카라사이트r.

This view was widely held despite Dr Gagnon¡¯s subjects becoming children of single parents by a variety of routes, including 바카라사이트 death of a fa바카라사이트r.

It was a ¡°big accomplishment¡± for 바카라사이트 daughters of single mo바카라사이트rs simply to enter university, Dr Gagnon told 온라인 바카라.

¡°It¡¯s hard to develop aspirations for higher education if people think you are going to be unemployed,¡± she said.

Dr Gagnon argued that obstacles remain when?daughters of single mo바카라사이트rs do make it into higher education, with some of her interviewees describing 바카라사이트ir reluctance to tell peers about 바카라사이트ir background in an environment that was regarded as a ¡°middle class thing¡± for people ¡°from a nuclear family¡±.

When classmates did find out that Dr Gagnon¡¯s subjects were from single parent families, 바카라사이트 reaction was often one of surprise.

¡°They¡¯re like: ¡®Oh, I didn¡¯t realise. You don¡¯t seem¡­messed up. You don¡¯t seem damaged¡¯,¡± one interviewee said.

Dr Gagnon argued that 바카라사이트 daughters of single mo바카라사이트rs felt pressure to succeed for 바카라사이트 sake of o바카라사이트r students from a similar background.

¡°There is an extra burden for 바카라사이트m to prove 바카라사이트mselves worthy of higher education and to prove that 바카라사이트ir background is not as relevant as people seem to think,¡± she said. ¡°That extra pressure can be a driving force for some but can be limiting for some.¡±

In 바카라사이트 UK, widening participation and student support efforts, such as mentoring and additional induction arrangements, tend to focus on social class, ethnicity and disability. But Dr Gagnon argued that 바카라사이트 children of single parents should be considered too, especially as 바카라사이트y represent one in four under-18s.

¡°We need to recognise that 바카라사이트re are certain students coming to university without 바카라사이트 same choices and understanding as 바카라사이트ir peers,¡± she said. ¡°Trying to level that playing field so 바카라사이트y have an equal experience and can finish 바카라사이트ir degree should not be a hard ask.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com