INVOLVE is a cross-European research project funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 programme. Its overarching objectives are to investigate the nature of the relationships between 1) the welfare state, public and social services, and policies aimed at tackling inequalities; and 2) trust and participation of individuals in their democracy. In other words, it sets out to understand how long-term inequalities within and across European countries impact support for democracy, trust and political participation, and how public services may impact this relationship by breaking or reinforcing social vulnerability, distrust, and low participation. It consists of a research alliance of academic institutions, NGOs, and Trade Unions across eight European countries and runs from 2023 to 2027 – with each country focusing on a specific group or issue. Focus Ireland chose to examine the experiences of lone parents because they are a group that are particularly vulnerable to poverty and homelessness. Separate to this study, the Focus Ireland Advocacy team convene and facilitate a dedicated group of lone parents (many of whom participated in this study) to discuss and co-produce policy recommendations in the areas of childcare and housing to present to policymakers. These efforts seek to consult, empower and advance tangible changes in how social services respond to and cater to the needs of this group. More information on Involve can be found here: https://involve-democracy.eu/partners/focus-ireland/

This research study forms a stand-alone component of this wider work conducted by Focus Ireland between 2023 and 2027. In 2024, Dr Sarah Sheridan was commissioned by the organisation to conduct a research study on the experiences of lone parents experiencing homelessness and housing exclusion, culminating in the current report.