To resent part time job taking up my free time?

[AuntieMeemz]

I left a stressful job to work part time, in what I thought would be an easier role in a different company.

Being 55 and dyspraxic doesn't make working easy. I'm a slow learner and get easily confused. However, I'm extremely lucky to have a good part time job, and the perfect hours. I know how hard this is to find.

I constantly being asked to do things around my place of work, so rarely get the chance to do my role (I work in childcare so if the manager says I'm needed elsewhere due to staff shortages, there is no choice).

Now I'm getting complaints from the Manager and her manager. I'm not getting enough done, not picking it up fast enough, not working fast enough, missing deadlines. The information I'm getting from the manager is very, very little, very rare and very basic. The information from the Head Office is incorrect, out of date, and hard to find, and the Manager says just ignore it and just do xxx.
I have made my own notes, daily planner and to do list, but never get the chance to even get started.
I used to spend an hour or more at home catching up, planning etc because I think to get a part time job is so rare, I have to make it work. However, for the last 2 weeks I decided it's not fair to spend so much of my free time on unpaid work.

I'm beside myself! I need the managers help, but she very rarely has more than a few seconds to help me before someone else comes in with something always more urgent. I'm supposed to answer the door, and phone calls, and be wherever I'm needed, and still get the paperwork done.
Talking to the manager doesn't work, nor does talking to the Head Office or their HR, they all just say 'that's the job' and 'we have shown you how to do x and y.
I just feel slow, stupid and inadequate.

Does anyone have any advice, or moral support?
big thanks and thanks for 'listening'

[PenguinPoo4]

I don't have anything amazingly helpful to contribute, but wanted you to know that I think you are doing really well in a difficult situation. I would suggest a couple things:

1. Try to have a paper trail of these 'issues' your managers have with your performance. Even if they speak to you verbally, it's a good idea to send an email afterwards 'to confirm our earlier conversation.....'.
   
2. It's really hard I know, but just because your employers are being incommunicative and critical, please try not to let that dent your confidence. If you were really doing a terrible job, you would know. It sounds like you are making massive efforts to make the situation work, your manager being rubbish doesn't reflect on you.
   

Good luck x

[ftmsoon]

Can you try keeping a log of what you do in your hours at work? A simple table of time and colour the squares depending on what you were doing. Then when your manager queries why paperwork isn't being done, you can show that you were 'with the children in this room' for all your hours, and couldn't leave due to ratios.

[Loulou2kent]

You really have my sympathy, it sounds really stressful. I work in 'childcare' and easily spend 10 hrs a week planning & tracking not paid for & in my own time & I've been doing it ages. It really is very daunting the amount of paperwork that's required. As another person has said, keep a log of everything you do in work & extra you do out of work hours so that if you ever get called up about it, you have something to show them. They might be able to help you Coke up with strategies to help you organise & prioritise your workload. Goodluck!!

[Loulou2kent]

*come not Coke

[hannibalismisunderstood]

Do you have your dyspraxia logged with occupational health? If not, it would be worth doing as they would have to do an assessment of you and your role and make reasonable adjustments for that which could include more stability...

[BlueCheeseandcrackers]

Very unhelpful manager! Like Hannibal said have occupational health been in to assess your workplace. You shouldn't have to spend your free time catching up on work!

[CherryBlossom321]

I worked in childcare for 8 years and it sounds standard to me. Such a shame, the job unfortunately wasn't what I trained for - little to do with actually caring for children. I'll never go back.

[scarlets]

Forgive my ignorance, but is dyspraxia included in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995? I'm wondering whether the employer - legally -has done enough to help you.

[TiredOfSleep]

Did the previous person manage? i.e do you think the reason you're struggling is because you're slower due to the dyspraxia?

I know they need to put in reasonable adjustments if this is the case, or address the other issues if not.

Are the other things they ask you to do always something necessary and something no one else can pick up, or something another worker could do instead to give you more time?