Families maintained by women represented 48 percent of all poor families in 1980 and 54 percent of poor families in 1991. The problems faced by poor families are quite extensive, especially for those maintained by an unmarried young mother. She is unlikely to earn enough on her own to keep herself and her children out of poverty. The responsibilities of raising young children are most likely to hinder or postpone the educational opportunities of teenage mothers. Some may never complete high school.
Teenage pregnancy is one of the greatest causes of dropping out of school for young women.
Those who are motivated to have careers tend to stay single longer, remain at home with their parents longer, attain a higher level of education, have fewer subsequent pregnancies, become more employable, and less dependent on welfare. Whether widowed, never married, or married with an absent spouse, women in female-headed families follow similar employment patterns. Most are working in the technical, sales, and administrative support occupations, mainly as secretaries, typists, retail and personal sales workers, and financial records processors. Many work in such occupations as food service, health service, and cleaning and building service jobs. Divorced female family heads are the exception.