single parents toolkit
a 2021 research paper by the single parent rights network found that 59% of single parents in the uk experience workplace discrimination. many struggle with limited job opportunities that match their availability, with 87% reporting a lack of suitable roles, while 85% lack support in accessing flexible childcare. despite these challenges, single parents are not included in the equality act (2010), leaving them with few legal protections in the workplace.
hr teams, who play a crucial role in shaping workplace policies, are often reluctant or unequipped to address these issues. there are few dedicated resources available to help them support single parents, leaving many employees without the flexibility or accommodations they need.
to address this gap, our design intervention introduces a communication toolkit for hr teams. by fostering understanding and empathy, it equips them with the tools to better recognise and respond to the challenges faced by single parents, creating a more inclusive and supportive work environment.
the toolkit includes three components designed to promote inclusive decision-making and drive change:
tool 1 features role-play cards that facilitate collaborative problem-solving. participants use these cards to navigate scenarios faced by single mothers, working together to co-create solutions.
tool 2 introduces an emotion mapping activity, where participants visually map the emotional journey of a single mother using colours and quote blocks to represent key experiences.
tool 3 is an action mapping worksheet for hr teams, guiding them in restructuring workplace policies to better support and protect single-parent employees.
roadmap
built on co-design and iterative development, the toolkit offers a flexible framework that can be adapted to different workplace contexts. our action plan follows a structured four-phase approach: stakeholder insights (phase 1) to understand key challenges, feedback and iteration (phase 2) to refine the toolkit, partnership proposals (phase 3) to establish collaborations, and implementation and impact assessment (phase 4) to measure effectiveness and ensure long-term effects.
thank you to my project partners, joshua green and shione akazawa!