‘Solo mothers lack care’

Press, 2 May 1981, Page 6

‘Solo mothers lack care’

Wellington reporter Solo mothers were given very little support from society, according to the Labour spokeswoman on women's and family affairs, Mrs Mary Batchelor. Recently released Department of Statistics figures showed that 8700 children were in the care of one parent, and that one-third of divorces occurred in the first 10 years of marriage. Usually the mother was left without the support of a partner, and with lowered chances of re-entering the work force because of a lack of retraining schemes and child care facilities. Divorces; occurring in the first 10 years of a marriage

left young families which were hardest hit by increasing costs of basic items, rising interest rates on housing, and rising education costs, Mrs Batchelor said. Labour would lower taxation on the one-income family, reapply subsidies on basic commodities, and provide. child care facilities at work, and at home. It would adjust benefits so’that they would not cancel out so rapidly on a return to paid employment. A pledge to introduce parental and family care leave and to provide child care facilities at work was made by Mrs Batchelor, j. She- said that a Labour Government would investi-

gate paid educational leave, and expand training and retraining courses for women. Thousands of women were barred from the work force by inflexible work hours, inadequate child care, Jack of retraining facilities, and resistance to promotion of women to positions of responsibility, Mrs Batchelor said. Women working in the home, and in the community should be recognised equally as contributors to the work force, she said. The Labour Party would make sure the Equal Pay Act was better policed, and would take strong action to promote “all aspects of women's employment.”