CHILD DEVELOPMENT

This study investigates the intricate impact of single parenthood on child development within the Egor Community of Edo State, Nigeria, and explores its implications for social work practice. Using a descriptive survey design, the research gathered empirical data from 300 single parents to illuminate their socio-economic realities, challenges, and perceptions of how single parenthood affects their children's cognitive, emotional, and social development, as well as the availability of support systems. The findings reveal a concerning landscape where single-parent households are disproportionately burdened by pervasive economic precarity, unstable incomes, and a striking deficit in support from both informal networks and formal structures. A particularly poignant finding is the perceived inadequacy of emotional support from family and friends, which challenges the traditional narrative of robust extended family support in African cultures. This lack of support, coupled with economic strain, leads to significant emotional overwhelm and formidable challenges in managing child behavior for single parents. These multifaceted challenges are perceived to exert profound negative influences on children's academic performance, emotional well-being, and social integration. The study, guided by Social Learning Theory and Family Systems Theory, underscores how these stressors can impede positive parental modeling and destabilize the family's emotional equilibrium. The empirical evidence also confirms a severe deficit in formal support systems, representing a systemic failure to protect a vulnerable population and making social work interventions critically urgent and foundational. The research provides a compelling empirical foundation for urgent, integrated, and culturally sensitive social work interventions aimed at bolstering the resilience and well-being of single-parent families in Egor Community