Single Parent Women's Strategy in Providing Children's Education Needs: A Case Study

Endah Iri Aryani (Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa, Banten)
Yustika Irfani Lindawati (Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa, Banten)

Journal of Gender and Millennium Development Studies
Vol. 2 No. 1 (2025): Journal of Gender and Millennium Development Studies, 2(1), 2025

Background: Single-parent women often face complex challenges in meeting the educational needs of their children due to financial, social, and emotional constraints. Understanding how they navigate these challenges is essential for developing supportive policies and interventions. Objective: This study aims to explore the strategies employed by single-parent women in fulfilling their children's educational needs. Method: A descriptive qualitative approach was used, with the research conducted in Pasanggrahan Village, Tangerang Regency. Data were collected through observations and in-depth interviews with selected informants. To ensure data validity, triangulation techniques and informant reviews were employed. Data analysis was carried out in four stages: data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. Result: The study found that the strategies adopted by single-parent women vary based on their individual backgrounds and specific circumstances. Most respondents manage their limited financial resources by prioritizing essential household expenses, especially those related to education, and by differentiating between primary, secondary, and tertiary needs. Conclusion: Single-parent women in Pasanggrahan Village demonstrate adaptive and resourceful financial management strategies to ensure their children's educational continuity, despite facing socioeconomic limitations. Originality/Value: This case study offers novel empirical insights in the field of family sociology and household economics by documenting the adaptive financial management strategies and economic coping mechanisms employed by single mothers in securing their children’s educational needs amidst financial, social, and emotional constraints, an area that remains insufficiently explored in current literature. This review provides profound contextual understanding and serves as a strategic reference for social policymakers, family welfare practitioners, and community advocates in decision making, formulating targeted social assistance initiatives, and designing community support programs to safeguard educational access for children from single parent households.