Background: Thru many years of work and privately, mothers have told me that they do not necessarily feel they get the help that they are in need of neither from public- nor private support systems.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to illuminate single mothers experiences with the Norwegian support system. Hopefully will this study contribute with more knowledge about single mothers meeting with society and support system, in the phase of establishment. I want to emphasis what it means to be a single mother and study how mothers through their narratives describe their meetings with social norms in society. The answers will be a contribution and help to further develop todays support system.
Theses statement: ”How do the Norwegian support system meet single mothers in the phase of establishment?”
Method and selection: This study uses qualitative methods for scientific research. Six single mothers were interviewed. The criterion was that they by choice chose single motherhood. Thru talking with the mothers we gather knowledge about experiences, feelings and attitudes towards their society. The study has a phenomenological hermeneutical understanding using the hermeneutical spiral.
Results and conclusion: The study shows that single mothers have both positive and negative experiences with the support system. Positive experiences consisted of feeling taken care of, being noticed, having stable supervisors, regaining relationship with mothers and receiving expedient information. Negative experiences consisted of stigma from healthcare workers, prejudices, unstable healthcare system, and that financial benefits were not context with the need the mothers had.