Half of babies now born to unwed couples

MORE than half of babies delivered in Scotland last year were born outside of marriage.

New figures reveal the end of the traditional family unit, with 50.9 per cent of children born to unmarried couples.

The figures were published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) yesterday, and branded ‘bad news for children’ by family campaigners.

The proportion of births to unmarried parents has been rising steadily in recent years, as Scotland’s marriage rate has declined.

But marriage campaigners warn unwed parents are more likely to split up, and that children who live with married parents have better mental health than those living with cohabiting or lone parents.

The ONS figures analyse family details for the 53,898 babies born in Scotland last year, as well as those born across the UK.

The figures for babies born outside marriage include those born outside civil partnerships.

Of the 27,727 i nfants born outside of marriage or civil partnerships in Scotland, just over 8 per cent were ‘sole registrations’, many of whom were si ngle mothers. And 22 per cent were to parents who did not live at the same address.

The rate of babies born outside marriage or civil partnership in Scotland was higher than the UK average of 47.7 per cent, but lower than the 59.3 per cent in Wales.

The area in Scotland with the highest rate of babies born out of wedlock was North Ayrshire at 64

‘Children thrive on stability’

per cent, compared to East Renfrewshire at just 28 per cent.

The fall in the marriage rate is said to be down to women’s earnings rising, enabling them to live more independent lives.

But Norman Wells, director of the Family Education Trust, said: ‘ The fact that over half of Scotland’s babies are born outside marriage is bad news for children and bad news for society.

‘Research demonstrates that married families provide a far more stable environment for the raising of children.

‘Children thrive on the stability that comes from knowing their parents are committed for life to each other as well as to them.

‘Children living with their own married parents tend to have fewer behavioural problems, enjoy better health, do better academically, and have lower levels of stress, depression and anxiety.’

The statistics also showed Scotland had the lowest fertility rate in the UK with just 1.52 children per woman of childbearing age compared to the UK average of 1.79.

But Stuart Valentine, chief executive of the counselling and mediation charity Relationships Scotland, said that the quality of the relationship was the most important aspect of a good family life.

He said: ‘The quality of the home and family environment and the quality of the relationship between the child and their parents are more important in facilitating positive child development than the type of family structure.

‘Children’s cognitive, social and emotional development does not appear to be affected by their parents’ marital status.’