Predictors of Stability and Change in Private Safety Nets of Unmarried Mothers

Although the importance of social supports for single mothers in times of crisis is widely recognized, little is known about the stability of such "private safety nets" over time, as children age and maternal and household characteristics change. This study uses multilevel models and 4 waves of data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to describe trajectories of social support perceptions for 3,065 unmarried mothers. Results suggest that, following a birth, most unmarried mothers perceive the availability of support, but these support perceptions disintegrated somewhat in subsequent years. Mothers who appeared to have the greatest need for support-those without stable employment or a stable partner-experienced more rapid deterioration of their perceived safety nets than more advantaged mothers. Future research should examine network composition and conditions for support provision among the most vulnerable single mothers and consider how safety net stability influences maternal and child health and well-being.