Over one in every five single parents are caring for a child who has a long term illness or disability, according to a new study released this morning.

Entitled Improving the Quality of Life of Lone Parents in Malta, the study sought to gain a better understanding of the realities faced by single parents.

"The stigma comes out... and our findings suggest that the reality is different to some statements often made about lone parents," said Prof Angela Abela who carried out the research together with Frank Bezzina, Claire Casha and Rose Marie Azzopardi.

Their research was based on questionnaires administered face-to-face to 250 single parents whose youngest child was under the age of three.

All respondents were women, of whom 49 per cent were employed (28 per cent full-time), 18 per cent unemployed and 33 per cent inactive (not registering for employment for a year).

From the latter group the researchers extracted a group of 31 mothers who did not even intend to work. These were classified as vulnerable as almost 40 per cent of them cared for a disabled parent of child, among other factors.

Contrary to stigma-driven perception, only 11 women admitted to working illegally, with some explaining they did this because it allowed more time flexibility and others saying they did not want to lose benefits.

The majority worked legally with some stressing on the importance of abiding by law and pension eligibility.

For those who worked, the most common jobs were clerical, sales and cleaners or housekeepers.

Reasons given for not working included lack of trust in childcare, few suitable job opportunities and that employers were not family friendly.

The findings also revealed that 33 per cent came from a family where the main breadwinner was unemployed for a long period of time - highlighting the reality of inter-generational poverty.

Read more findings in Times of Malta tomorrow.