July 2018 - Marriage Foundation

STOP signs: Clues to what really went wrong in the Owens marriage

(photo credit PA) Embarrassing details of the marriage between Hugh and Tini Owens have now been splashed all over our papers and news. After many years of marriage, Mrs Owens

The government’s feeble policy on strengthening families

What is the government doing to strengthen families? Given that providing support for families that have broken down costs £51 billion per year at last count, that around 45 per

Cost of family breakdown

Amicable or acrimonious, civilised or conflicted, cooperative or combative, whatever form it takes family breakdown was never the dream. Family always begins with an act of love. Family breakdown always

Family breakdown costs £50bn a year

Family breakdown costs the UK an estimated £50 billion every year — most of which is spent supporting families who move from one to two households when relationships end. Beyond the financial cost, the social and emotional toll on children can be lifelong.

UK Among highest family breakdown in Europe

The UK continues to experience some of the highest levels of family breakdown in Europe. While divorce rates have declined, this improvement has not been matched among cohabiting couples, who remain significantly more likely to separate.

Lower Divorce Rates – Higher Lone Parents

Divorce rates have fallen dramatically over the past three decades. Yet over the same period, the number of lone-parent families has doubled — because couples who live together without marrying or forming a civil partnership are three times more likely to separate than those who do.

Formal commitment is strongly associated with family stability

Stability remains the norm when parents are married or in a civil partnership — around

75% stay together as their children grow up, compared with 30% of cohabiting parents. The act of formal commitment changes how couples think and behave about their relationship, creating a foundation that is more likely to endure.

The parents’ relationship plays a vital role in children’s development

The single most important factor in a child’s healthy development is the stability of their parents’ relationship. Our research consistently shows that family breakdown is the strongest predictor of teenage mental health problems — and that formal commitment through marriage or civil partnership offers the best protection against this instability.

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STOP signs: Clues to what really went wrong in the Owens marriage

The government’s feeble policy on strengthening families

Cost of family breakdown

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