Single dads favour online dating

The internet is now invaluable to millions of single dads who use it to find potential partners, according to new research.

A major survey conducted by TRUE in the US has found that 75 per cent of single dads see online dating as the easiest way to meet others.

Some 67 per cent of respondents also said that online dating is a much safer way to date, perhaps because it allows individuals to learn a little more about each other before eventually meeting up.

More than a third (37 per cent) of those questioned also suggested that online dating had allowed them to strike a better balance between work, dating and family.

"Balancing work and family alone can be difficult for anyone, but it's even harder for the millions of single parents," said Herb Vest, founder and chief executive of TRUE.

"It's not surprising that single fathers place such a high value on time and safety. Online dating allows singles to learn about a potential partner before ever meeting them in person. They are also able to move at their own pace."

Figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal that children in the UK are now three times more likely to live in a one-parent household than they were in 1972.