What does job centre/society actually expect this woman to do?

[steppemum]

I support a lady (friendship through a charity) I'll change some details to make it less identifiable.

She has a son aged 5 and in school and so the job centre are giving her a lot of hassle to get into work. But I just cannot see how she is supposed to do this:

• she is a single mum. Her partner is not son's dad and doesn't live with her.
• she lives on a large council estate out of town. Very little work on the estate. 20 minute bus ride into town. Some work in town, mostly in shops (which I doubt she would get, she's not likely to get a customer facing job) most work is then a further 20 minutes on the bus from the bus station in town.
• there is no breakfast club or after school club, or holiday clubs at the school
• there are no childminders on the estate. The closest ones are about 1 mile away, and don't do school drop offs or pick ups
• she does have local family, but they are not willing to do any childcare, either before/after school, or in the holidays.
• she is only likely to get a minimum wage job as she has no qualifications.

So, she could only work day time, from about 9:30 - 2:00 in order to do school run, no weekends and she has no-one to look after her son in the holidays.

Job centre has told her she is being too fussy and she must be more flexible with timings.

Am I missing something here? I just don't see HOW she can get a job! She would like to work actually, but is also pretty scared about ending up with less money.

[Gigia]

She could become a childminder if her property is suitable? She may be able to access funding for the course/start up costs? Cleaning jobs that she could take her son to in the holidays? (I did this when my son was small). Look into WFH customer service jobs, a few of the big companies are doing this even for entry level jobs, again she may get funding to buy a cheap laptop? Care work? Again she may be able to take her son with her n the holidays. It is far from ideal but there are a couple of options.

[TheYearOfSmallThings]

I agree, she could look at getting qualified as a childminder. I know a few mums who did that because there was realistically no other job they could do, and it has worked out well for them.

[OuiWeeOui]

Shit isn't it but realistically what can the job centre do? They are just doing their job,
Where's the dad?

[IVFNewbie]

Sounds to me like she hasn't tried yet and has dismissed all the options without exploring them.

[Summerholidayorcovidagain]

I needed up going self employed cleaning.. 4 year child access (via court) arrangement in place that had me driving 500 miles every week... 6 dc in 4 schools and I was harrasswd to get a job.. Still doing it 9 years later!

[Qwill]

Cleaning sounds perfect for her and the hours are very flexible.

[Hafera]

Seems like it's where she lives that's the problem.
Can she look into a property exchange to somewhere with more job opportunities and schools that offer wraparound care?
She will have to get work or she'll end up being sanctioned. Long gone are the days where the government paid people to stay at home.

[ChiefPearlClutcher]

But what do you want the jobcentre (so taxpayer) to do about it?

A 20 or even 40 minute commute to work is not unreasonable, most people do some sort of commute!
A mile to travel / walk to a childminder is not that much!
Does she (you?) expect everything to be right on your doorstep or estate?
Could she start a breakfast or after school club at school?
Can she ask the jobcentre for training? Can she study? How is SHE planning on improving her prospects in life?

I am very interested to hear what YOU expect society/the jobcentre to do.

[Hoppinggreen]

has she come up with any solutions or is she expecting someone else to?
it sounds like she has a lot stacked against her but she could at least try to work out a way to improve her situation - if she wants to do that rather than just get the job centre off her back

[TyrannosaurusRegina]

So no one in her area with children, if they don't drive, have jobs? Or in any other similar area of which there are hundreds thousands up and down the country?

[TaranThePigKeeper]

Walking a mile to get to childcare is nothing. I have to do that to post a letter, and think nothing of it! Neither do thousands of people who walk their children to school over that distance, and more.

Why wouldn’t she get a customer facing retail job? Retail and hospitality are crying out for staff right now. That’s a really weird barrier to have created.

Commutes to work even for people on minimum wage are frequently much longer than what you are describing. Pushbike. Electric bike. Lift share. All are possible (perhaps with seed money from a charity like the one you both support?).

There are lots of options out there, but none arrive on any of our doorsteps fully packaged with a bow, exactly suiting our individual requirements. Every day people make choices and sacrifices to do what this family needs.

[Sheilaroundthefountain]

The fact that you’re supporting her makes me wonder if being a childminder is not the job for her. It seems strange to me that you say she wouldn’t be suitable for a customer facing role, yet people think she’d make a great childminder.

I think this woman and many others are being put in an impossible position, and I don’t know what the answer is.

The only thing I can think of is maybe a dinner lady at her child’s school (maybe on the cooking side) as she’d get the same holiday and inset days as her child. I’d imagine jobs like that are like gold dust though.

[Keepitonthedownlow]

Could she train to become a hairdresser and work self employed?

[Crimeismymiddlename]

Actually most people live about 20/40min from their jobs-and a lot of people a lot further. You sound really nice but it does seem like you are giving her reasons not to work. Cleaning and childminding are good options and her son won’t be young forever. Only a few years and she can work full time.

[standoctor]

What does job centre/society actually expect this woman to do?

What do you expect society to do
As someone else said retail is crying out for people she can get a job in retail tomorrow
When I first started work I had to get 3 buses and it took around 1.5 hours

[TheYearOfSmallThings]

It seems strange to me that you say she wouldn’t be suitable for a customer facing role, yet people think she’d make a great childminder.

Good point, I hadn't really taken in that bit.

[passport123]

Why would she not get a customer facing job?

[Allthestarsabovemyhead]

Cleaning seems like a good job to do whilst her child is at school. Cleaners are charging around £15 an hour where I live.

[Aroundtheworldin80moves]

I think so.e people are missing the point spectacularly.

• If there is no wrap childcare available, or childminders that pick up or drop off, it doesn't matter where the nearest one is. You can't get your child between them and the school without being there

• a lot of lower paid jobs are shift work. A single parent cannot start at 6 am or finish at 10pm. There is no childcare that covers these hours.

• weekends. No childcare open.

This is the reality of single adult families. Jobs exist but you can't do them.

The one option is school work but unsurprisingly its hard to get.

[Sheilaroundthefountain]

Actually, another thought. Starbucks are desperate at the moment, and might have the hours your friend needs. It’s not necessarily customer facing as some people just make the drinks - for the shop, drive thru and deliveroo or just eat. My daughter worked there as a student, and her really shy friend was always given the drink making job, as she hated talking to the customers.

[Googlecanthelpme]

Flexible jobs could be

cleaning
care work (not as flexible but could be possible)
dog walking / doggy day care
childminding - would need the credentials but it might get job centre off her back whilst she qualifies
call centre work based at home
admin work based at home

As so many companies are remote working these days it’s not impossible to get a role where she is based at home and answers phone all day - or half day in her scenario.

I agree it’s really hard, it’s a cycle and once you’re in this position it’s very difficult to get out of it. In a city or a large town it’s easier, having family to support with child care and it’s easier, having good qualifications and it’s easier, having a car it’s easier - take away all of those things and it’s extremely hard.

I have a job and I am lucky enough to have the means to pay for a good local nursery but when my kids are ill or when the nursery is closed - I have no family or friends who can help me. So I have to somehow work it around my job, I find it extremely stressful and upsetting sometimes so your friend must feel very constrained by these limitations.

[ElenaSt]

Why can't she get a customer facing job? Is this because of tattoos and or piercings?

There was a woman in the news not so long ago with massive three inch eyebrows that enables her to receive benefits safe in the knowledge she is unemployable.

[YouHaventDoneAnyWork]

What training has she done/is she planning to do to enable her to apply for roles? In my last job I recruited a junior admin person, fully remote. Not a huge salary, slightly above NMW but with lots of benefits and progression for someone showing willing/the right attitude. Loads of on the job training.

what are her skills and how is she going to acquire more?

[HailAdrian]

What do the people of MN not get about being poor? You can't just train and get a qualification. It takes time and money. A single, piss-poor parent with no support has very little of both.

Cleaning does sound like the best option.

[appletizer]

Cleaning is good, you just turn up and clean, the upfront costs are very low.

Childminding if the house is suitable and you can get your qualifications while on Benefits.

Train in most anything at local colleges, usually they have heavily subsidised courses or free courses for people on benefits. This is designed so you don't have to enter the work force with no qualifications.
Ask local shops such as florists, cafe etc if there are any jobs going that require a few hours a day so extra money can be earned in term time.

Why no customer facing jobs?