Working With Diversity, Northern Ireland Section 75 Equality Scheme Advice

Equality of opportunity in relation to health care should exist for individuals irrespective of whether or not they are single, divorced, separated, living to-gether or married.

Very little research has been carried out specifically in relation to equality of opportunity and marital status particularly with regard to health and social care. Much of the information available relates to lone parents, which of course covers parents who are single, separated, divorced or widowed. The definition of lone parents usually excludes people who are living to-gether. A separate section has been devoted to lone parents due to the number of pertinent issues, but includes male, as well as female lone parents, black or ethnic minority lone parents, lone parents in rural areas and teenage mothers and fathers.

Introduction