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An illustration of social issues dealt with centrally or locally; a young Polish woman comes to the U.K. as an au pair, gets 'knocked-up', has a baby, goes to social services and gets a flat and enough benefits to live on, - I don't make this up, in fact it has happened to 2 au pairs in one family. In Switzerland, an unmarried mother needing support is dealt with entirely by the local commune. She is visited, probably at her parents home, the father is ORDERED to be there, his and her parents incomes are discussed and responsibility is apportioned. Any shortfall is made up by the commune and she is told in no uncertain terms that any public money she receives is being paid for by her neighbors, so a certain amount of stigma is attached. I'm not sure I would want to go quite so far, but some element of reality is required in the U.K. - a county with the highest amount of unmarried "mums", and absent fathers.