ABSTRACT
This chapter describes work disincentives and their implications for single parent families. It presents an overview of theories dealing with work incentives and single parenthood. The chapter analyzes the testing the work disincentive hypothesis by using data from Finland which has a Nordic type welfare state. The data was gathered from interviews and tax registers which were used mainly for income data. Family policy is concerned both with the effects of all types of activities on the family and with efforts to use the well-being of families as an objective or as a source of goals and standards in developing public policy. The Finnish case is interesting in the sense that the country provides rather high welfare provisions which can thus be expected to have an impact on single parents’ choices regarding welfare. Single parents’ higher unemployment risk is analysed in detail by comparing unemployed single parents with other family types by demographical variables and variables connected to values held.
