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Access by Lone Parents to the Labour Market in Laois

Laois County Development Board secured funding from the Gender Equality Unit of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to complete a project under Strand A of the Lone Parents Initiative. The Project entailed the following tasks:

1. Collate existing research or data relevant to Lone Parents living in Co. Laois in order to develop an understanding of the statistical profile of lone parents in the county particularly in relation to issues of multiple disadvantage.
2. Conduct a needs assessment of lone parents in the county by engaging directly with persons parenting alone.
3. Address specific contexts for some lone parents such as rural isolation.
4. Promote an understanding and awareness of the labour market needs of persons parenting alone particularly among relevant service agencies both statutory and voluntary.

Laois County Development Board compiled the statistical data with regard to Task 1. An external consultant/facilitator was contracted to complete Tasks 2 and 3. The Social Inclusion Measures Group (SIM), following deliberations on this Report and subsequent Agency discussions, will address Task 4.