to think that giving a flat to a 16yr old with a baby is wrong

[twirlymum]

In my capacity running a voluntary youth group, I have a few of the girls as friends on facebook (that's another debate).
One of them is 16, and her baby will be a year old in December. She currently lives with her grandmother, as she doesn't get on with her mum.
Last week, she put as her status 'FML, fed up with rules, going to the council to get a flat'.
A friend (judging by the photo in her 30's) commented that it's not as easy as that, the council don't just hand out flats willy nilly, and that in the circumstances, she'd be better off where she was.
What followed was a barrage of comments from other friends (at least five), all saying pretty much the same thing:
you are entitled to a flat, they have to give you a two bedroom place, you'll get a grant to furnish it, the council pay your bills etc.
I was a bit stunned, is this the case? I had thought it was something the media hyped up, but maybe I'm wrong??

Feel really sorry for you, Brightyoungthing. Sounds like things are not fair where you are. Hope you find somewhere better for yourself and dd.

But also think young parents need somewhere to live. It's not a question of who deserves what. Everyone needs a roof over their heads.

Brightyoungthing that's awful

'Sometimes I really hate Mumsnet'.
Me too

I hate all the, but I know a bloke blahblahblah bollocks

I agree, I just think that councils seem to pull there fingers out for some people and not for others. I read on one of the other pages that a disabled person was placed in an old folks home because there was no social housing for her

Don't worry about me, I got the last laugh really! My HA flat is lovely, expensive (still cheaper than private) but lovely

Glad to hear it! Hope things go well for you in future.

Usualsuspect, but don't we all form opinions based on personal experience?

No I don't tend to generalise really

Just two points.

1. Young mum doesn't mean bad mum, irresponsible mum or undeserving mum.
2. What if she was 20? 25? 30? Are you saying there should be an age limit on being able to have a home with your baby?

Life's hard enough as a young mum. I don't begrudge them somewhere to live and help to make it a decent place for the baby to be.

dementedma - yes there are some with a some of entitlement............there are some 40yr olds on benefits with a deep rooted sense of entitlement.

They're not all like that.

I have a huge black bag full of DS3's old clothes he's out grown, some are pretty old and faded, some in good nick still.

I've offered them to my friends DD who is due any day, and when I told her that I was sorry but there was some old stuff in there that she may not want to use and she could do what she wanted with it. She turned round and said thankyou, and told me she'd probably use all of it as long as they fitted her DS at that age.

Doubtless far too late for brightyoung, but the HA and / or council should've pointed you in the direction of a Community Care Grant.

Not sure if this has been mentioned already, really cba to read all the previous pages, but I learned something interesting at work today.

I always though you had to be 18 to enter a legally binding contract - eg rent a property.

However, since accommodation is seen as a necessity, it is possible for a 16 year old to rent.

However (again), they will need a guarantor, and that's where things tend to fall apart. These days Social Services are generally unwilling to be the guarantor, and if a family member is willing to do it (and eligible), then the immediate question is why doesn't the young person go live with them?

I haven't said that young mums are bad mums, but if they have no support from their families, do you really think being in a flat, alone, with a young baby, with all the responsibilities that entails is a good idea?
This particular girl is always bemoaning the fact that she has no money to go out with her friends etc.
At least if she were in some kind of supported housing she would have company, support, help accessing services etc, and the chance to stay in education.

Ummm.

*thought

and *family member / friend

'dementedma - yes there are some with a some of entitlement............there are some 40yr olds on benefits with a deep rooted sense of entitlement.'

God, tell me about it.

I;ve just been offered a job interview: fraduate job I can fit around my caring duties.

Except they can only run it one day (group interviews) and it's half term. half term club not running at the local Uni (due to hangovers from ryder Cup renting out), CM on holiday, Mum looking after my nephews.

Nowhere wlse Ic an palce the asd kids. Dh in an exam related to only secure income we have.

Can't go to interview. It's bloody ahrd fiding anything to apply to with SN kids around their school, bloody ahrd getting an interview for anything anyway, starting to think I should stop bothereing tbh as each hurdle is like a smack in the face.