School's out! Why earlier among children of lone parents?

Abstract

The aims of this population‐based study were to analyse educational attainment at ages 24–25 among children of lone parents in comparison with children living with two biological parents, to increase understanding of the factors that seem to be of major importance in increased risks of lower educational achievement and to examine how the life circumstances of non‐custodial parents influence possible differences. We found that children who grew up with only one parent showed lower educational attainment than did children in two‐parent families. Poorer educational performance on the part of the offspring of lone parents can be explained to a large extent by socio‐economic disadvantage, especially a lack of economic resources. However, achievement varies according to cause of lone parenting, and findings strongly indicate that adjusting solely for custodial parents’ circumstances may lead to under‐estimation of the relationship. Lone parenting seems to have a more detrimental effect on girls’ education, and also within groups of children with highly educated parents than among those with a relatively low level of education.