A 'fragmented, under-funded and patchy' legal aid system is leaving single-parent families without decent legal advice - but solicitors are contributing to the problem by failing to find adequate remedies when they are consulted, research has suggested.

The report from charity One Parent Families (OPF) showed that while single parents commonly suffer from a 'poisonous cocktail of legal and social problems' that can drag on for years, 40% were unable to access face-to-face advice and 32% could not get help over the telephone.

The survey - carried out by Cardiff Law School - also found that 45% of respondents did not go to a solicitor for help at any stage, and questioned whether lawyers should be regarded as 'gatekeepers' when it comes to justice for lone parents.

The research indicated that solicitors were rated fairly highly when lone parents did consult them in terms of their accessibility, speed of response and ability to explain, but fell down on actually helping their situation.

Some 30% were dissatisfied with their solicitor's overall performance.

'Solicitors did fairly well in terms of the process of dealing with [clients'] problems,' the report said.

'However, the position in terms of outcomes was quite different.'

Citizens Advice Bureaux were slightly more popular, with 67% saying they were satisfied with the advice they received, although clients reported trouble accessing the services.

OPF director Kate Green called for more funding for areas of social welfare law.

'Legal aid advice provision is currently targeted at relationship breakdown but, as our study shows, many lone parents are grappling with issues around benefits, debt and contact - well beyond the initial crisis of separation,' she said.

Angela Lake Carroll, acting head of children and family services at the Legal Services Commission, said: 'While specialist family solicitors are key to the delivery of legal help in this field, the commission has always recognised that a number of clients will not obtain family support services through a solicitor.'

Paula Rohan