Because of the considerable rise in divorce, separation and 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  it is estimated that today only around 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  of all children spend their childhood with their married natural parents. There is considerable debate as to the effects of 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  and family diversity on children.
It is well established that the children of parents enduring serious marital problems are prone to 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  and behavioural problems themselves. It is also clear that such problems can emerge some time 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  the actual separation of parents. The long term consequences of separation and divorce on children are also clear. Despite the best efforts of some parents between 35-45% of fathers 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  touch with their children within 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  years of the divorce taking place. Children of divorced parents are more likely to leave 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  at sixteen, 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  in education, leave home early, 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  early themselves, and are more likely to experience marital 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  and divorce themselves.
Divorce or separation frequently also leads to a sudden drop in living 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  for children. This is most likely when the lone parent is the mother (true in around 90% of all cases). Lone mothers tend to find employment in unskilled 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  paid employment or rely on State benefits (Family 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent ). The costs of child care means that for some lone mothers employment is not a 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  financial option. Seventy percent of lone mothers rely on some form of financial assistance from the 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent . Family Credit does not allow for a high standard of living so the children of such families suffer real material 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent .
Divorce however may in some cases be a positive development for children if it marks the end of a 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  or abusive relationship.
Legislation Recent laws have prioritised the needs of 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  and attempted (often unsuccessfully) to maintain children's relationships with non resident 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  and to force fathers to meet their 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  obligations to their children
The Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984  established that "The welfare of the child" should be the 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  consideration when 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  make financial and property orders on divorce
The Children Act 1989  was designed to 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  fathers' relationships with their children
The Child Support Act 1991  obliged fathers to provide financially for their children according to a precise 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent .
The enforcement of these social policies has been difficult, for instance there has been considerable opposition to the work of the Child Support Agency (CSA), and laws by themselves seem to have little effect on the actual 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent  of parents.
Such laws however can be seen to have been influenced by the 
"Ideology of the Family"  which sees the family, marriage and monogamy as the cornerstone of society and the guarantor of social 
before behaviour children cohabitation courts Credit deprivation divorce emotional encourage fathers financial first five formula half lose low marry problems school stability standards State underachieve viable violent .
Discussion Points 1. Is it inevitable that divorce damages children?
2. What could be done to minimise the effects of divorce on children?
3. Should single mothers be offered subsidised child care to get them back into work - what would be the advantages and disadvantages of this?
4. Family Ideology suggests that the family based on monogamous marriage is the "cornerstone of society". If this is the case why do so few people experience it?