Asked about children in interview?

[app34]

I had a telephone interview yesterday for a apprenticeship, the interviewer asked about the salary and the fact it's in the next town, and I would just about breaking even with money, which is fine I had already worked it out!
Then he asked do I have any children? I was like yes, but I have childcare in place! Yes I have been given a face to face interview but I didn't think they were able to ask about children?

You're right. They should not be asking about children or marital status. I would feedback to HR.

I wonder if they would ask the same question to a man?

They can ask about children if they ask everyone, make and female.

I had this in an interview where I was asked to fill out a form with his many dependants I had and their ages. Another one (legal firm) grilled me on who would be looking after my children whilst I worked.This is just the sort of crap women get asked in interviews.

It is illegal for an employer to make a hiring decision based on your family status, so there is no reason for these questions to come up during a job interview.
I would have asked the relevance ? (granted it probably would have cost me the role)

Thanks everyone

I was just a bit surprised by it, I had a telephone interview with the director of the company as it's a very small company! It's my dream job, and while yes I do have DC that doesn't mean I can't do a apprenticeship which I think what he was trying to imply

I wouldn't say anything just yet - wait and see how it goes. He shouldn't have asked that (and even if he asking men the implication is diffrent imo) but if its your dream job then just keep on with the process. Good luck

So I had my interview, which was 2 hours long, I was asked again if I had any children and the age was written down, I am worried I am gonna get discriminated against!

Ring HR and ask them about it

I've been asked about my children in an interview for a training role. They were asking how I would manage the balance. I told them and I got the job.

I think they are allowed to ask about that (if they ask everyone male and female) but not if you plan to have any more children?

Perhaps they were allowed to in my case as I brought them up as important to me when talking about myself and my life.

They can ask you, as long as they ask everyone who they are interviewing, but they can’t make hiring decisions based on the answer to questions like that, so it's pointless to ask them, and therefore, poor interview practice.

I think I would have a few concerns about being asked about it both interviews. It sounds like it's more than just smalltalk to make you feel comfortable. Whether I would raise it with them would depend on whether I was offered the job, and if so, how desperately I needed it.

When I was interviewed for the job I have now my boss asked about my children. She mentioned how the person I was replacing was unreliable, turning up late, calling in etc because she had childcare issues. She definitely did not ask the men there the same questions!

It was mid interview, and I could see it was one of the questions on the sheet, so I presume they ask everyone, I just feel slightly uneasy about it and would worry they would choose a candidate that has no children over one that has!