The focus of the project is on assessing the situation of single parents in various housing settings, from rented flats to women’s shelters. In addition to the overload created by both paid and unpaid work as well as a lack of time for recreation, single parents also face the burden of the increasingly difficult access to affordable housing. Uncertain and restricted housing conditions are widespread among one-parent families, as is the existential pressure exerted by the cost of raising children and the increasing housing costs. All these factors have a direct impact on the social, psychological, and economic development of adults and children alike. There is a great need for diverse forms of support including both self-organized care networks and various Social Work offers.

From the perspective of research regarding (non-)use by Ellen Bareis (2012), the central question of this teaching/research project pertains to how different forms of housing facilitate access to labor division and support. Using qualitative interview research, the project identifies specific challenges in the context of housing and everyday life before going on to examine which types of assistance care networks and Social Work can provide, and where possible interfaces between Social Work, community support, and different forms of housing lie.