Currently, lone mothers and their children make up almost 20 per cent of families with dependent children in the UK, a threefold increase since 1970. Yet, while they are often cited by politicians as both a symptom and cause of social breakdown, relatively little is known of the causes, consequences and conditions of lone motherhood in Britain and throughout Europe. This study provides accounts of historical patterns of mothering and ideologies of the family, with cross-national comparisons of policies and experience of lone motherhood in developed and developing countries. Countries covered include: Britain, USA, Norway, South Africa, Kenya, Thailand, India, Brazil and the Carribean. This collection should appeal to students of social policy, women's studies and social work.