Single
Mothers’ Self-Defence
for the benefits of mothers and children
|
|
Over four million people live in single parent families in Britain (1.7m single parents - 91% single mothers - and over 2.5m children). Many more have been single parents or were raised by single parents. Single Mother’s Self-Defence is a network of single mothers from different races, backgrounds and situations who came together to defend our welfare benefits, families and communities. |
A number of mothers have disabilities or children with disabilities. The government calls us "workless" to hide that we’re doing a 24-hour job, and starve us into low waged work or financial dependence on a man. We all know that every mother is a working mother.
We meet regularly in London to share information and support each other, write letters, win appeals, picket, demonstrate and campaign in other ways. We have focused on supporting single mothers on benefits who are being forced by the government to claim child maintenance from ex-partners even though this puts us at risk of violence and our children are not financially better off.
Documents for more information:
SMSD letter re: Sure Start -- getting mothers on
benefit in to low-waged work
letter to the Times, 31 August 2007
Single Mother's
Self-Defence re the Child Support Agency
letter
in the Guardian 14 Feb 06
Stay-At-Home Moms Deserve High Pay, Analysis Shows
Letter to the Independent on the Child Support Act from SMSD
Mothers' Manifesto: UK General Election 7 June 2001
A
woman's place is in the struggle - Single mothers fight back
From
Green Left Weekly, Australia, July
6, 2005
Letter in the press refusing to be forced back to waged work.
Valuing
single mothers' work would end child poverty
(Nova Scotia, Canada)