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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wonder wtf the government expects single parents to do?

208 replies

RocksThatIGot · 06/06/2013 11:29

I have just been given a place on an access course, as I want to study to become a social worker. I am a single mum to two dc, and I have had a nightmare few years having been in an emotionally abusive relationship, and subsequently had to go to court several times (13 and counting) to face my abusive ex. So I have been earning money where I can but the court thing has taken over my life for the last 18 months or so and because of legal aid taking any money I do earn in contributions, it just hasn't made any sense to earn money, especially with the stress of what has been going on.

I am aware of the changes coming to benefits with the universal credit, which it seems are going to adversely affect the lone parents who are self employed, like me! So I have applied to college as I have inspired by the social workers dealing with my court case, and I want to be able to give my dc a better life. I know it will be a long slog with 4 years of study, but I am determined to do it.

So I just got a place at college, and went to see about getting financial help with childcare and travel costs (the nearest college doing the course I need is 40 miles away). And it turns out that, guess what, the government has scrapped all that financial help, as of this year! I have been told that i can apply to the college for a bursary but this is not going to be very much and unlikely to even cover half of my travel costs. So I have no idea how I am going to survive the year of this course. I'm just so angry that the government are doing everything they can to make it impossible for people to be on benefits, but at the same time they are making it impossible for single parents to study and get into employment! Am I missing something here?

OP posts:

Shellywelly1973 · 06/06/2013 11:42

This government arn't intreasted in educating single parents! We know this as they make it near impossible for single parents to access further education.

Single parents are the shop workers, carers, cleaners, minders & any other low paid job they can force you into.

redskyatnight · 06/06/2013 11:44

That's not specific to single parents though - if you want to study you need to support yourself somehow.

The solution is to study part time and work to support yourself.
Or maybe try distance learning (e.g. the OU) to reduce things like travel costs?

PostBellumBugsy · 06/06/2013 11:48

As a single parent myself I sympathise, but I don't think this is an issue specific to single parents. If you were with someone, you'd still have the same problem.

Could you wait until your DCs are at school or as redsky suggested have a look at the distance learning options?

I've been on my own for 10 years now & have done some distance learning to fit around my full time job & the DCs. It has been hard but not impossible.

HoHoHoNoYouDont · 06/06/2013 11:49

That's not specific to single parents though - if you want to study you need to support yourself somehow

Exactly

I am in a low skilled job and would like to retrain. All the courses available seem to take part during working hours so I can't attend. They are also very expensive too and I have to find the funding myself.

I wouldn't expect anyone else to pay.

Original poster

RocksThatIGot · 06/06/2013 11:49

That's what I was afraid of shellywelly :/

Even working part time I still won't be able to afford the childcare for the days I am college.

OP posts:

PostBellumBugsy · 06/06/2013 11:49

Also, just to give you hope - I have a good job. Single parents don't just have to have crap jobs!

crashdoll · 06/06/2013 11:52

There are some access to social work evening courses. I think they are about 2 evenings a week. These may be more suitable. Also, my access course ended up being 2 full days a week (9.30 - 3.30) and 1 day (9.30 - 12.30). There are many parents on the course, so the hours are very accommodating.

alienbanana · 06/06/2013 11:52

Tight fuckwit. £500 a month? Jesus..

What the hell is he spending the rest of his earnings on?

I don't know about this, but I would guess that he'd have to pay more than £500 a month in child maintenance, should you ever split.

alienbanana · 06/06/2013 11:52

ARGGHHH wrong thread sorry sorry sorry

Original poster

RocksThatIGot · 06/06/2013 11:54

I know it's not specific to single parents, but the difference is that if I had a partner I wouldn't be relying so heavily on government handouts to survive, so therefore wouldn't be dreading the universal credit changes as much. Also I guess the government had identified the fact that the only way that single parents would be able to study would be to pay for their childcare costs, otherwise they wouldn't have been paying these costs for the last x number of years.

Even if I did wait until my youngest was at school I would still need to pay for after school care.

OP posts:

HoHoHoNoYouDont · 06/06/2013 11:55

I'm just so angry that the government are doing everything they can to make it impossible for people to be on benefits, but at the same time they are making it impossible for single parents to study and get into employment! Am I missing something here?

Perhaps it would be a better idea to direct that anger at the government for not doing enough to make the absent parent pay towards the upbringing of their children.

Original poster

RocksThatIGot · 06/06/2013 11:56

Not around here crashdoll, I live in the arse end of beyond and there is only one college even running the course, and that's an hour away and it's daytime only.

OP posts:

crashdoll · 06/06/2013 11:59

That's a shame. Perhaps an online access course would be more appropriate then?

Original poster

RocksThatIGot · 06/06/2013 12:00

Hohoho I agree with you in most cases, but my dd's dad has severe mental health problems so there is no way I am ever going to get any more than £5 a week from his benefits. He has a personality disorder and anyone who employed him would need to be as crazy as he is.

OP posts:

Original poster

RocksThatIGot · 06/06/2013 12:02

If I did an access course online I would need to find a grand for the fees, which I haven't got. Doing it at college means I can get a loan for the fees.

OP posts:

PostBellumBugsy · 06/06/2013 12:03

Rocks - Have you double checked you are not eligible for the Discretionary Learner Support?
Also type in social work courses online & have a look. Lots of options come up.

cherhorowitz · 06/06/2013 12:04

The problem with studying with the OU is that all the social work degrees have to be taken with a placement. You can't just study them as a degree without a job alongside. I was looking into it a few years back.

When will your DC's be going to school?

8dayweek · 06/06/2013 12:04

www.gov.uk/social-work-bursaries/what-youll-get Have you looked into this...?

crashdoll · 06/06/2013 12:08

Distance learning will work for the access. Obviously, not the degree. Also, OP the bursary has changed. You know will not get it in the 1st year, only 2nd and 3rd.

worley · 06/06/2013 12:08

does it have to be specifically social work you want to do? if you manage to find a different type of access course , how about an nhs funded course such as nursing etc? you can divert in to a different field once qualified?

8dayweek · 06/06/2013 12:11

Actually, just realised you said Access course (which I presume isn't covered). How old are your children? Random question but relates to benefits more than anything else.

TheOrchardKeeper · 06/06/2013 12:14

To do the Access to Success courses you can apply for funding if you earn under £25,000. So you apply, then when it comes to paying for it you fill out a form and send of proof of your income or lack thereof and it will be sorted. If you're doing a level 2 access course then you go through student finance but you still shouldn't pay for it unless you earn over that amount!

(I'm doing the psychology course that way, which will lead on to the degree. Wanted to go to college but couldn't afford the childcare for a day, let alone a week)!

samandi · 06/06/2013 12:14

Sorry, but it's not just single parents who encounter obstacles on the path to getting qualifications. I had to save up money for fees, move to a different area, work full time to pay the bills as well as studying to be able to afford to do so.

Could you move? Save up fees? I'm sure there's some way of sorting things out. Would it be possible to defer your place for a year? What about a career development loan? That could possibly cover the fees for studying online.

Nerfmother · 06/06/2013 12:18

Well I'm going to sound really harsh here. Rather then expecting to be funded for something that you want to do, for the next four years, why not work your way up from something that you can do? And I do speak from experience - I really wanted to do unpaid intern work in editing but couldn't, ( single parent) so got a job as a trainee, studied, worked and ended up with transferable skills and moved to a new field doing something that I love.

Original poster

RocksThatIGot · 06/06/2013 12:18

I think the discretionary learner support is the bursary that the college have already told me about, but I will check.

My youngest dc will be starting school sep 14.

The social work bursaries is for the actual degree course, not the access course, but thanks.

OP posts:

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