Can Jobcentre remove certain jobs from my work search commitments?

[careassistantjobs]

Can I have a certain type of work removed from my work search commitments?

I’m being pushed into applying for care assistance jobs and this is something I am not prepared to do. I have explained to my work coach but they are saying I have to take their recommendation to start applying for these types of jobs as well as I’ve not been successful so far and need to widen my job searches.

i have requested a GP letter detailing why I can’t do this type of work (severe sensory issues and phobias due to autism) and I’m hoping that will be enough?

Has anyone else been through this ? I feel they aren’t being understanding at all. I have limitations and I’m trying my best but there are some things I just can’t do, or do they just expect me to apply with no intention of doing it to fill the work search hours ? But if I was offered a job and declined I would be sanctioned ?

How long have you been looking for a job? I’m just not sure that it would be considered reasonable to refuse one of the industries which always has jobs available, if you’re claiming benefits and have been assessed as fit to work then you need to apply for the jobs that are available, not just the jobs you want to do.

Aren’t there proper routes for people with disabilities who are unable to do certain things?

I'd hate to think of people being forced into caring roles when they don't want to do them/aren't right for the role.

No wonder my elderly dad's carers were woefully shit.

No interviews in 12 months. Before that I’d had a few but no job offers.

It’s not that I’m being difficult I just can’t do care work , it would not be fair on me and would make me ill and wouldn’t be fair on those needing care.

Is it better to have woefully shit or have nowhere near enough carers?

OP, I don't think it's fair for the tax payer to pay for an extended period of job hunting just because you're dismissing a perfectly fine type of work. It might be more stressful if you have particular needs but you won't know that you can't do the role until you try it. And you may not even get a job in that sector.

Physical disabilities would be different due to the lifting etc but I don't see why ASD would preclude care work for most people.

To my mind, carework is such a specialised role. I could do it but TOTALLY understand why not everyone could and nor would I want a relative cared for by someone forced to take the role. If they make you apply just throw the interview every time.

My job is incredibly stressful and regularly makes me ill due to burnout but I do it because I have to pay my bills and don't expect society to do that for me.

I guess you go to the care agency job interviews and say that you don't think you'll be capable or professional at it and it will make you ill. That you have sensory issues and autism.

That you pleaded with DWP to excuse you from these roles but they declined.

Politely say that, apologise and list the types of work you can do, like maybe office admin? And ask if they have anything in that field?

That way you're still 'applying' for a job with them, just not an actual caring one.

Is it better to have woefully shit or have nowhere near enough carers?

Considering one had to be taught how to open a tin of soup and warm it through, and another nearly killed him due to not reading the label on his medication, I'd reluctantly say the latter.

Of course if they were paid a fair wage, there'd likely be more great people willing to do it.

The job market is incredibly rough right now, but no interviews in 12 months and being supported by benefits… you really need to start taking anything and everything. Are you applying for absolutely everything else other than care work? If you’ve applied for every other role you could meet the spec for, and all unskilled rolls, then at least you can argue that you’re genuinely trying.

From what I can remember, you need to have a realistic chance of being considered for the job you’re considering. So: you couldn’t say, ‘teacher’ without a teaching degree (for extreme example).

You name jobs you can realistically go for, usually experience-based. After a certain amount of time of limiting your search - without success - I think you’re expected to go for any job that would suit: such as those that require no experience, or offer training on the job.

Do the Jobcentre still have Disability Advisers? If they do, might be worth asking to see one. Think they were referred to as DEAs.

Can I point out that ‘care work’ is an incredibly varied area of work? What part is it you feel you can’t do? Is it personal care? I have 1 care role where no personal care is involved at all. Is it doing medication? Again I have 1 where it’s not involved at all. Is it shift work? Definitely roles that don’t involve that out there. Is it working with the elderly? Lots of roles with younger people.

As a PP said care work can vary significantly between roles, it can just be helping to make food, giving medication, talking people out into the community, doing activities with them etc. I’m autistic and struggle with sensory issues and a germ phobia. When I first got a care job everyone that knew me thought it was ridiculous and I would quit on the first day. I did it for years before training for a professional role. You could apply and then in the interview tell them about your diagnosis and how you think it will affect how you work. They won’t hire you if they are looking for someone to do the things you said you can’t do.

This.

At first thought, I couldn’t handle care work either. I have ASD and a long list of allergies.

However, one of the things I am worried about is my later life and needing care. I would need someone that can agree to restrict themselves from some of my allergens. So maybe there is a person out there right now in need of care, with similar allergies to mine, that I would be able to help. Maybe my ASD would actually make me a good caregiver for the right person. It would be a 1 in a million sort of match, but it’s a possibility.

If you find yourself going on these interviews, I would just be blunt about who you are and what you can do. They might want to hire you and just put you into any job and let you fail, but hopefully a good hiring manager will only offer you a job if they have that unicorn role.

@careassistantjobs

Which type of role do you have qualifications for and experience in, OP?

If you were interviewed for such a role, or had to list your skills in an application, the right thing to do would be to be honest about what you could and couldn't do - it would then be up to the employer to decide whether you were the right hire.

When you apply just put on your CV that you won’t do XY AND Z because of X and Y. And that you need certain adjustments (state in detail) and they probably won’t want to hire you.

Yes I suppose I could do that but my work coach is always making sure I attend workshops and often it’s to make my CV as good as possible so it might be flagged up as an issue.

Your CV should be in the form of a template which you tailor to different roles you're applying for - to highlight the skills that might be relevant to different jobs. You can save different versions of your CV as you do them.

Your capabilities/limitations in relation to care work don't need to be on your generic CV - you can create a 'Care Work' CV in which you highlight skills you have that might be relevant to aspects of care work you would be able to do - for example, you might be able to do a supervisory, admin or managerial role in that field that didn't require you to be hands on with care users - but you can also set out clearly where your capability is limited.

I absolutely agree that people shouldn't be forced into care work, its something people need to want to do. Its unfair on the individual's being supported, be that the elderly, those with learning disabilities or anyone else requiring support from another person.
I understand that the job market is tough but in 12 months surely there has been something in manufacturing, catering, cleaning, warehousing, production line, retail, bar work, call centre etc?

I’ve applied but not had interviews

Also I’m pretty sure some aren’t even real ? For a huge amount of retail jobs there’s a deadline so I apply, hear nothing then I see the same jobs advertised over and over with different deadlines and yet I never hear anything- do they just do this to get a bank of applicants ?

Warehousing jobs and some catering ones I can’t apply for as they state about aspects of heavy lifting and similar which I can’t do

People who need carers need carers who are able to do the job and want to do the job.
There is absolutely no point sending someone to a job interview to be a carer if it's obvious that it would be unsuitable both for the person trying to give care and the poor person being cared for

Personally I think it's better to have no carer than a dreadful one. Have you seen the films about abuse by carers who are obviously not suited to the job? Also the assumption would be that someone with a carer is safe, clean and being fed if the carer is inadequate that is not the case.