Research Through Networks

At VOPFN, we believe that meaningful change doesn’t happen in isolation. Understanding and supporting one-parent families requires a collective effort—one that brings together academic researchers, advocacy groups, and third-sector organizations to explore the realities faced by single parents and develop policy-driven, evidence-based solutions.

Our partnerships are essential to our work. By collaborating with universities, research councils, and frontline organizations, we ensure that our research is deeply informed by both historical insights and the lived experiences of one-parent families today. These connections allow us to:

🔹 Gather critical data from diverse regions, offering a more comprehensive understanding of the social and economic challenges one-parent families face.
🔹 Bridge research with real-world impact, ensuring that our studies don’t just remain in academic journals but actively inform policy and practice.
🔹 Amplify the voices of single parents, working alongside advocacy groups to ensure that their perspectives shape the research we conduct and the policies we recommend.
🔹 Secure funding and resources that enable long-term studies, community outreach, and the development of tools to support single-parent families.

Each of our partners plays a vital role in expanding the scope of our research and strengthening its impact.

• Academic institutions provide the foundation for rigorous, data-driven research that explores the intersection of history, policy, and lived experience.
• Third-sector organizations work directly with single-parent families, ensuring that our research remains rooted in real-world needs and leads to meaningful advocacy.
• Research councils and funding bodies enable long-term investigations into the systemic challenges single parents face, helping us push for lasting policy changes.

These collaborations allow VOPFN to build a more complete picture of the challenges and opportunities faced by one-parent families worldwide. Together, we are working to ensure that single parents are not only supported in their daily lives but are also recognized, valued, and included in policymaking at every level.

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We collaborate with a diverse range of academic institutions, advocacy organizations, and research centres to ensure that one-parent families are represented in policy, research, and support services.

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Academic Partners

• Glasgow Caledonian University – Conducting economic and social research focused on gender equality and family policy.
• Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin – Supporting historical and policy research on single-parent families.
• Arts and Humanities Research Council – Funding research that explores social justice and the lived experiences of one-parent families

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Third-Sector & Advocacy Partners

• One Parent Families Scotland – Providing direct support, advocacy, and policy recommendations for single parents in Scotland.
• One Family (Ireland) – Supporting single parents in Ireland through services, advocacy, and family law reform.
• Gingerbread – A UK-based charity offering advice and campaigning for the rights of single-parent families.
• Single Mother Families Australia – Advocating for legal, economic, and social support for single mothers.
• Council of Single Mothers and their Children – Working to provide practical and policy support for single-parent households.
• Adoption Agency MAA – Supporting single parents navigating adoption and post-adoption services.

Find out more about the work our partners are doing here

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