Britain is the break-up capital of the world: Three in five children will see their co-habiting parents split before they reach their teenage years
- In cases where the parents are married, the chances of stability are better
- More than a third of marriages fall apart before the children enter their teens
- Only a few very poor countries had higher rates of family break-up than the UK
Children in Britain are more likely to go through the upheaval of a family break-up than almost anywhere else in the world, according to a shocking new study.
Three in five boys and girls born to co-habiting couples will see their parents split up before they reach their teenage years.
In cases where the parents are married, the chances of stability are better, but still more than a third of marriages fall apart before the children enter their teens.
Children in Britain are more likely to go through the upheaval of a family break-up than almost anywhere else in the world
More than a third of marriages fall apart before the children enter their teens
The figures were released by the Marriage Foundation, and its chairman, Sir Paul Coleridge, last night described them as ‘a loud wake-up call that there was a family breakdown epidemic in the UK’.
He added: ‘How many more surveys and reports do we need before the Government puts this problem at the very top of the social justice agenda?’
Based on studies conducted by leading academics and involving thousands of families in more than 20 countries, the figures showed that only a few very poor countries in South America and southern Africa had higher rates of family break-up than Britain.
Spain, Bulgaria, Italy and Georgia had the best records, according to the study.
Most watched News videos
- 'Your f****** son!': Man's foul mouthed rant at mother and son
- Woman filmed performing sex act in Florida court house
- Moment police deliberately ram a stolen moped off the road
- Yaser Abdel Said films disturbing home video of his daughters
- Girl is thrown from theme park ride and dies in China
- Ivanka posts video of Arabella singing a song for Chinese New Year
- Rescued child dances with a pal a year after being left for dead
- Shocking moment dancer collapses and dies on stage during routine
- Jonathan Ross mentions Beckham's knighthood during 2013 interview
- Elephant rescued from farm well after a six-hour operation
- De Niro says he still wants to punch Trump while on The View
- Hold my beer! 'ATV down stairs' stunt goes painfully wrong
-
PICTURED: Prince Harry is spotted holding hands with his...
-
Apocalypse island: Tech billionaires are building...
-
RIP brand Beckham: Hacked emails suggest ex-England...
-
'A terrible decision': Trump continues to rail against...
-
Kylie is left 'inconsolable' after splitting from wannabe...
-
Brave train manager tells a 'drunken racist' solicitor to...
-
White House vows to immediately reintroduce immigration...
-
Washington breathes a sigh of relief as whirlwind Trump...
-
'Nice legs. Mmm very nice': Disturbing home video reveals...
-
What a gentleman! Bride-to-be Pippa Middleton's fiance...
-
Mother reveals daughter, 13, 'was relentlessly bullied at...
-
Starving child who was left for dead by his parents who...