When to introduce a partner to your children
How long to wait before your children meet someone you're dating, and how to make the first meeting gentle and safe.
Read the guideSingle parent dating
Dating as a single parent, without the guilt
Meet other mums and dads who know that plans change, bedtimes matter and kids come first.
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Cities
Where our members are
LondonWalk Bushy parkrun on a child-free Saturday, then coffee at the Pheasantry.ManchesterMeet for a walk and a coffee at Heaton Park's Lakeside Cafe.GlasgowFind your feet with One Parent Families Scotland, then plan a daytime coffee.CardiffStroll through Bute Park after drop-off and stop at the Summerhouse Cafe.ChicagoSpend a free weekday morning at Lincoln Park Zoo while the kids are at school.AtlantaWalk the BeltLine's Eastside Trail and stop at Ponce City Market.
Guides
Guides people read first
Ideas our editors checked this month, with the source for each.
Finding time and childcare for dates
How single parents find the time and childcare to date. Practical ideas, from school-hours dates to help with childcare costs.
Read the guide
Talking to your ex about dating
Do you need to tell your ex you're seeing someone? Calm, practical advice on new partners and co-parenting.
Read the guideOut and about
Where singles meet here
- Walk or run at parkrunparkrun holds free 5k events every Saturday in parks across the country, and there's no time limit. You can walk, jog, run, volunteer or just watch, so it's easy to chat.
- Chat at junior parkrunJunior parkrun is a free 2k run on Sunday mornings for children aged 4 to 14. While the kids run, you can get talking to other parents.
- Volunteer at your local parkrunYou can volunteer at parkrun instead of running, which is a friendly way to get to know people. At Bushy parkrun in London, people head to the park cafe for coffee afterwards.
What’s on
Coming up
- Winter: ZooLights at Lincoln Park ZooChicago's Lincoln Park Zoo puts on ZooLights each winter. It's ticketed and dates can sell out, so book early for a child-free evening or a family night later on.
- Christmas holidays: Sharing ChristmasIn Cardiff and most of Wales, schools break up on 18 December 2026 and go back on 4 January 2027. If the children spend part of it with their other parent, a free day can make room for a date.
- February: February half-termIn Cardiff and most of Wales, February half-term is 8 to 12 February 2027, close to Valentine's Day. Sort childcare early, or plan a daytime date.
Members
Members you might like to meet
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Who it’s for
Made for both of you
For women
Someone real who gets family life
- Every photo is checked by a person
- Go at your pace, around your children
- Block and report, reviewed by a person
- No pressure to meet before you're ready
For men
Real single mums who reply
- Real profiles, with photos checked by a person
- Look for the Verified badge
- Women who understand busy weeks and school runs
- Free to join and browse
Verification
How we keep Just Single Parents real
Every member’s photo is checked by a person before anyone sees it.
Verified1A person checks every photo
Before any profile goes live, a member of our team looks at the photos. Anything that looks borrowed, edited or fake doesn’t get through.
2A selfie check
We ask for a quick selfie to make sure the person in the photos is the person on the profile.
3An ID check for the Verified badge
Members can check their ID with Yoti in about a minute. Yoti checks the document and tells us it matched. We never see or keep the document.
4Reports read by people
Report a profile and someone on our team reviews it. Fake profiles are removed.
Before you join
Questions people ask
In shortJust Single Parents is a dating site for single mums and dads in the UK and US who want to meet people who understand family life. Every photo is checked by a person, and members who pass an ID check get a Verified badge. Joining and browsing are free.
Is it free?
Joining, making a profile and browsing are free. To read and reply to messages you need a membership. You'll see the options before you pay anything.
How do I know people are real?
Every photo is checked by a person. Members who pass an ID check carry a Verified badge, so you can see who has been checked.
How soon should I tell a date I have kids?
Early is usually best. Being a parent is a big part of your life, and the right person will want to know.
Should I put my children on my profile?
Say that you're a parent, but keep your children's names, photos and school off your profile. Share those details only once you know someone well.