Researchers from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Sheffield Hallam University found that parents who took low-paid jobs still lived in poverty, struggled to pay for childcare and found it difficult to juggle their parenting responsibilities.
However, the study Work and Worklessness in Deprived Neighbourhoods acknowledges that working increases self-esteem and reduces isolation.
Many of the people in low-paid jobs interviewed said they gained little financially by working and were often forced to work long hours, which harmed the quality of their family life.
For those out of work, this can act as a disincentive to leave benefits, the report concludes.
Professor Ian Cole, the project director for the study, said: "There needs to be a stronger focus on the quality of work on offer. The government and employers should work together to improve terms and conditions so that work can break the cycle of poverty and support family life."
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