Caribbean Examinations Council

Social Studies School Based Assessment

Single Parenthood

Candidates Name: Teisha-Gae Bailey

Candidates Registration Number:

Name of School: deCarteret College

Schools Centre Code: 100025

Teachers Name: Mrs. Charmane Ebanks-Griffiths

Statement of the Problem: The causes of single parenthood; how they cope with the problems
they face.
SINGLE PARENTHOOD

TEISHA-GAE BAILEY
FORM:501

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I proudly take this opportunity to thank my teacher Mrs.Charmane Ebanks-Griffiths for her

valuable time in helping myself among other students to gather information and ideas for

completing this SBA. I would also like to show my gratitude to my mother for the countless

times she assisted with and corrected my SBA. I would like to also acknowledge the Almighty

God for the strength, patience and knowledge he has given to me during the process of my

Research.
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
CHAPTER 1

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.. 1

REASON FOR SELECTING THE AREA OF RESEARCH 2

METHOD OF INVESTIGATION. 3

INSTRUMENTS USED TO COLLECT DATA.. 4-7

PROCEDURES USED TO COLLECT DATA.8

CHAPTER 2

PRESENTATION OF DATA..9-14

INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA15-

CHAPTER 3

FINDINGS.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATIONS.

APPENDICES..

BIBLIOGRAPHY.
CHAPTER ONE
 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Why is there a growing rate of Single Parent Families in the Litchfield District; the ways in which
they cope with the problems they face?
 REASONS FOR SELECTING THE AREA OF RESEARCH

The researcher has chosen this topic because, she has been residing in this
community for approximately 16 years. The researcher has noticed that the
community of Litchfield district has been having a continually growing number of
Single Parenthood cases. The researcher has decided to discover why there are so
many cases of Single Parenthood and how they deal with the problems they face
on a day to day basis.

The Litchfield District is a small rural district on the outskirts of Mile Gully
(a small town). According to the local Member of Parliament the community
consists of approximately 250 households and is still growing. The small but
beautiful district is surrounded by a number of unique landforms including two
vast playing fields and a rich clay deposit.
 COVER LETTER
Dear Villager,

This is a survey being carried out in the Litchfield District, Manchester to determine the cause of
Single Parenthood and how they cope with the problems they face. This study is being conducted
as a vital part of my School Based Assessment for a Social Studies course I am currently
pursuing. You are being advised to answer the following questions honestly and truthfully. Your
identity will not be required so you are assured of your confidentiality. There are no wrong or
right answers. Most of the questions can be answered by a check in a box. Otherwise instructions
are given where necessary.

Thank you,

__________________

T. Bailey
 Questionnaire

1. To what gender do you belong?

[ ] Male

[ ] Female

2. To what age group do you belong?

[ ] 18 - 25 years old

[ ] 25 - 30 years old

[ ] 30 - 35 years old

[ ] 35 - 40 years old

If other please specify_______________________

3. How many children do you have?

[ ]1

[ ]2

[ ]3

[ ]4

If other please specify________________________

4. How long have you been a single parent?

[ ] 1 year - 5 years
[ ] 5 years - 10 years

[ ] 10 years - 15 years

[ ] 15 years - 20 years

If other please specify__________________________

5. How did you become a single parent?

[ ] Death of other parent

[ ] Divorce or Separation

[ ] By choice

[ ] Artificial Insemination

If other please specify____________________________

6. What are the factors contributing to your problems as a single parent?

[ ] Unemployment

[ ] Uneducated

[ ] Lack of support from other parent

If other please specify_____________________________

7. How do you finance yourself and your children?

[ ] Family Support

[ ] Full-Time Employment
[ ] Part-Time Employment

[ ] Government Support

If other please specify_______________________________

8. Are your children currently attending school? If yes, how often?

[ ] 5 days per week

[ ] 4 days per week

[ ] 3 days per week

[ ] 2 days per week

If other please specify________________________________

9. What are some of the issues faced with your children?

[ ] Self-Esteem issues

[ ] Behavioral Problems

[ ] Self-Concept Problems

If other please specify_________________________________

10. What kind of support could improve your role as a Single Parent?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
 PROCEDURES USED TO COLLECT DATA
As stated previously, Litchfield District has approximately 250 households. It was assumed that a
survey would be necessary in order to ensure accurate conclusions on the levels of Single
Parenthood in the community.

A total of 25 questionnaires were prepared for distribution to the community members.

Respondents were chosen by random sampling; the researcher randomly chose males and
females to participate in the questionnaire. Strips of paper containing numbers were folded and
placed in a box. The box was closed and shaken vigorously enough to ensure a thorough mixture
of numbers, then a total of 25 were selected from the box.

The 25 selected households were then supplied with questionnaires and a duration of 30 minutes
was allotted to complete the questionnaires. The questionnaires were then returned and the
researcher returned home to analyze the collected data.

The majority of the percentage were females who resulted in an amount of 64%, while the males
resulted in a minority of 36%. The age range of respondents were mostly young adults, which
was preceded by those of the ages 30 35 years old.
CHAPTER TWO
 Gender of the Respondents

36%

Female Male

64%

Figure 1: Pie Chart #1 shows the gender groups of the respondents in Litchfield District
Manchester.
 Age Of The Respondents

16%

40%
18-25 30-35 20-25 35-40

20%

24%

Figure 2: Pie Chart #2 shows the age range of the respondents in Litchfield District, Manchester
 40%

35%

30%

25%

PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS 20%

15%

10%

5%

0%

HOW THE RESPONDENTS BECAME SINGLE PARENTS

Figure 3: Column graph #1 shows how the respondents became Single Parents.
 45%

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%
PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS
5%

0%

FACTORS AFFECTING SINGLE PARENTS

Figure 4: Column graph #2 show the factors contributing to the problems of a Single Parent in
Litchfield District, Manchester.
______________________________________________________________________________
Responses Number of Responses Percentage

5 days per week 13 52%

3 days per week 7 28%
2 days per week 3 12%
4 days per week 2 8%

Total 25 100%
______________________________________________________________________________
Source: Field work, December 2016

Figure 5: Table #1 shows how often the respondents are able to send their children to school in
the Litchfield District, Manchester.
______________________________________________________________________________
Responses Number of Respondents Percentage
______________________________________________________________________________
Behavioral Problems 10 40%
No Problems 8 32%
Self-Esteem Issues 4 16%
Self-Concept Problems 3 12%
______________________________________________________________________________
Total 25 100%
______________________________________________________________________________

Source: Field work, December 2016

Figure 6: Table #2 shows the issues faced by Single Parents with their children in Litchfield
District, Manchester.
 Interpretation and Analysis of Data
(MINI INTRO)
There was a deduction from the responses of the respondents from the Litchfield District, that
the Single Parenthood was dominated by the females at a percentage of sixty four (64%) and the
males at thirty six percent (36%) as shown in figure 1.
The ages of Single Parents ranged from ages 18 40 but was mostly populated by the young
adults ages 18 25, at a startling rate of forty percent (40%). The other age groups trailed behind
at ages 30 35 years old, twenty four (24%), 20 25 years old at twenty percent (20%) and ages
35 40 at sixteen percent (16%) as deducted from figure 2.
The causes behind how they became Single Parents was presented in four ways in figure 3:
Divorce or Separation at thirty six percent (36%), Death of other parent and by choice were at a
tie of twenty four percent (24%) and Artificial Insemination at twelve percent (12%). The ratio of
these percentages is 10:6:5:4.
From figure 4 The Single Parents were affected by a variety of factors, four (4) of which were
listed: Unemployment at forty percent (40%), Lack of support from other parent at thirty six
percent (36%) and Uneducated at twenty four percent (24%). These displayed a ratio of 10:9:6.
(SUPPORTIVE ARTICLE ON CAUSES,)
The amount of unemployed single parents would also affect the children of these parents. Not
all their expenses would be covered including their right to education. Some of these children
would not be able to attend school every day as shown in figure 5. The options placed were 5
days per week at fifty two percent (52%), 3 days per week at twenty eight percent (28%), 2 days
per week at 12 percent (12%) and 4 days per week at eight percent (8%). These percentages
provided a ratio of 13:7:3:2.
In figure 6, there are four options showing the problems faced with the children of single
parents: Behavioral Problems at forty percent (40%), No problems at thirty two percent (32%),
Self-Esteem Issues at sixteen percent (16%) and Self Concept Issues at twelve percent (12%).
The ratio of these percentages were 10:8:4:3.
(SUPPORTIVE ARTICLE FOR EFFECTS)
(MINI CONCLUSION)
CHAPTER THREE
 Findings
It is observed that most Single Parents are able to send their students to school every day
as shown in fig.5 at a rate of 52%.
Single Parents are mostly affected by the factor of Unemployment as shown in fig.4 at a
rate of 40%.
Children coming from Single Parent Families are always victims of behavioral problems,
as shown in fig.6 at 40% and some others are understanding of their situation and give no
problems at 32%.
 Recommendation and Implementation
As shown previously in finding #1 most single parents are most severely affected by the factor of
Unemployment which must be as a result of early pregnancies, which means these young
mothers were not able to complete their secondary education. This could have been prevented if
they were properly educated of birth control and even abstinence. The Ministry of Education
should place special education for children at the secondary level about sex education and
pregnancy preventative measures.
Another problem that results as of Single Parenthood, the children are also affected by their
situations. These children tend to develop self-esteem problems, self-concept issues and
behavioral problems while others handle their situations more calmly and do not retaliate against
the parent they have left. The government should assign these troubled children councilors who
take the time to help these children smooth out their rough edges.
 Appendices
Questionnaire
1. To what gender do you belong?
[ ] Male
[ ] Female

2. To what age group do you belong?

[ ] 18 - 25 years old
[ ] 25 - 30 years old
[ ] 30 - 35 years old
[ ] 35 - 40 years old
If other please specify_______________________

3. How many children do you have?

[ ]1
[ ]2
[ ]3
[ ]4
If other please specify________________________

4. How long have you been a single parent?

[ ] 1 year - 5 years
[ ] 5 years - 10 years
[ ] 10 years - 15 years
[ ] 15 years - 20 years
If other please specify__________________________
5. How did you become a single parent?
[ ] Death of other parent
[ ] Divorce or Separation
[ ] By choice
[ ] Artificial Insemination
If other please specify____________________________

6. What are the factors contributing to your problems as a single parent?

[ ] Unemployment
[ ] Uneducated
[ ] Lack of support from other parent
If other please specify_____________________________

7. How do you finance yourself and your children?

[ ] Family Support
[ ] Full-Time Employment
[ ] Part-Time Employment
[ ] Government Support
If other please specify_______________________________

8. Are your children currently attending school? If yes, how often?

[ ] 5 days per week
[ ] 4 days per week
[ ] 3 days per week
[ ] 2 days per week
If other please specify________________________________

9. What are some of the issues faced with your children?

[ ] Self-Esteem issues
[ ] Behavioral Problems
[ ] Self-Concept Problems
If other please specify_________________________________

10. What kind of support could improve your role as a Single Parent?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
____________________________________

Bibliography
SCRIBD