The US Census Bureau released figures today indicating a 25 percent increase in the number of single fathers. In the past three years, the number of single-parent families headed by men has grown from 1.7 million to 2.1 million. The number of single-parent families headed by women is 9.8 million.
Several reasons were cited for this emerging trend. Men are tending to seek custody more often and more mothers and judges are willing to grant fathers custody, reflecting a rising acceptance by courts and society that single men can be effective parents.
The increase also was spurred by adoption agencies’ increased willingness to grant adoptions to gay men.
The Census report notes that overall, single-parent families are on the rise. Currently, single-parent families account for 27 percent of all families with children.
