Single Parents Struggling Fiona Small Explores Co-Living as a Solution | It Takes a Village

BBC documentary It Takes a Village, Fiona Small, CEO of Young Mums Support Network (YMSN), explores the challenges single parents face in securing stable housing and financial security. With the cost of living and housing prices at record highs, many single parents struggle to compete with dual-income households. Fiona highlights how traditional systems often disadvantage single-income families, making it difficult for them to access quality living conditions. She explains that YMSN receives a high number of enquiries from mothers who are homeless or living in temporary, unstable, or unsuitable accommodations, highlighting the urgent need for alternative housing solutions. She questions whether co-living arrangements could provide not just financial relief but also a stronger support network for both parents and children. Lilla Benn, who grew up in a "mummune"—a home with two mothers and travels to meet other single parents who have embraced communal living. Through these stories, the documentary examines whether this unconventional approach could be a sustainable solution for modern single-parent families.