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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to wonder where job centre expect kids to go?

124 replies

flummoxedbanana · 20/12/2013 13:50

My sisters husband left last year when their son was a newborn. Shes in the final year of her degree and her son was one a few weeks ago. Shes currently on income support and has been accepted on a graduate teacher programme commencing in September. She received a letter from the job centre informing her she must attend a lone parent information session in January which is a group activity and will last at least two hours. The letter states she can receive help with childcare costs but obviously most nurseries won't take children for a few hours as a one off because they recognise, quite rightly, that they're likely to be upset and unsettled. Her son has never been away from her so even if she could find a nursery to take him she'd have to sit listening to pointless information while he's distraught. I live several hours away otherwise I'd help out. AIBU to wonder where the job centre expect kids to go?

OP posts:

ivykaty44 · 20/12/2013 20:09

I didn't see in the Op where it the situation was compared to a druggie scrounger complaining that their benefit was not enough money to live on?

If the Op's sister is living on 500 quid a week in a seven bedroomed house then there is really something wrong...

DavidHarewoodsFloozy · 20/12/2013 20:15

"Woowoo are you Katie Hopkins" .

Arf, brilliant.

cantheyseeme · 20/12/2013 20:18

Sorry IvyKaty i was just trying to make a point that its hardly the same and its a little unfair posters calling ops sister "Fucking entitled".

ivykaty44 · 20/12/2013 20:36

but the ops sister is claiming support for unemployment when she isn't unemployed she is studying which is not what unemployment support was meant for, it is not a studying support system. The Op's sister has not intention of seeking work until september

cantheyseeme · 20/12/2013 20:38

She isnt claiming jobseekers, income support, which supports students who dont claim grants etc, this is completely above board and she is entitled to do so.

MadameLeBean · 20/12/2013 20:44

She should just take her child. Call before and ask if they are going to pay for one off childcare or provide a crèche? No? Then they can't expect under 3s not to come! Income support is a pittance to live on.

I once had to take my then 5yo to a computer science tutorial and the uni were very nice about it. She played computer games lol.

MadameLeBean · 20/12/2013 20:46

If you are a single parent and in part time education you can claim income support but it is so little really- I lived on it for 2 yrs while I did my masters. I'm now a fund manager who pays 50% tax. So I think I've more than paid it back. Others should get the chance too

candycoatedwaterdrops · 20/12/2013 20:47

Is income support only for the unemployed?

cantheyseeme · 20/12/2013 20:52

Students can claim IS.

Phineyj · 20/12/2013 20:54

OP, never mind this interview (which she should just get a babysitter for and pay, if she doesn't want to do research into suitable childcare or take DC along) your DSis needs to put time into finding childcare for September and getting DC used to it in good time now. Teacher training is very long hours and the Schools Direct route (GTP doesn't exist any more) is demanding. It also doesn't exactly guarantee a job - as I understand it, they just have to consider you if there is one at the end of the training. In your DSis's position she could end up redoing a placement or something if she or DC is ill. She might also find she doesn't like teaching. At the very least she could be building her CV and earning by doing some tutoring or exam marking - it's the ideal time of year to start looking into it.

arethereanyleftatall · 20/12/2013 20:58

I agree with woowooowl , though I suspect she's gone, a after the bizarre and unwarranted attacks against her opinion, an opinion which is shared BY many might i add, even if they haven't appeared on this thread yet.

I'm really not understanding why one of ops sisterr friends can't look after her son for 2 hours. I'm not really understanding the drama.

IneedAsockamnesty · 20/12/2013 21:21

Last time I had a smear test I did it whilst a chaperone (receptionist) held the baby, its not fun but its what you do when your childcare falls through.

katieScarlet

Did you mean a e121 ?

JassyRadlett · 20/12/2013 21:29

Arethereany, please explain to me why it makes more sense for the OP's sister to drop out of the end if her course to take a job that will pay her less permanently, meaning she will claim more in-work benefits, rather than finishing her course and taking up the place she's been offered, increasing her contribution to tax revenues and reducing the benefits she is likely to claim over her lifetime.

I'm very interested in your response.

judgejudithjudy · 20/12/2013 21:40

how does ops sister go to uni if she cant leave dc? as the state have supported ops sis i whole heartly agree she bends over backwards to go to the meeting to continue claiming benefits that entitle her to pursue her dream job. maybe even a thankyou to the state as once off of is she will get a huge whack of wftc :-) hope your sis gets a first btw :-)

cantheyseeme · 20/12/2013 21:47

Read the thread properly please.

ThePinkOcelot · 20/12/2013 21:48

I think she needs to just suck it up and go. Take her child with her if need be.

BuffyxSummers · 20/12/2013 21:55

Does it definitely say she has to go? I've been asked to go to a couple of these and they've always been voluntary or optional. I couldn't go because of childcare either.

SeaSickSal · 20/12/2013 22:05

She goes to the OU where tutorials are not compulsory.

However I would be extremely concerned if a child of mine was taught by someone who had never even bothered to go to tutorial.

greenbananas · 21/12/2013 09:41

Can't believe some of the responses here. Nobody has mentioned that this woman was left by her partner when the baby was newborn. How crap is that? It's not like she actually chose to live on benefits. .. She was left in the lurch with a small baby who needs her far more than the job market does right now. She is making long term plans to support herself and her baby.

Benefits exist so that people in this position do not starve and so that the children don't suffer more than they have to.

No way my breastfed 13 month old baby would be left for the first time for this reason. I would be taking him with me and quoting the 2010 equality act at anyone who objected.

Some very mean spirited answers on this thread. My husband is still here supporting me and the children until they are old enough for me to work full time again, but if anything happened to him I wouldn't hesitate to claim iS for add long as it took me to get us on our feet again.

Op, good luck to your sister. Hope her teacher training goes well.

KatieScarlett2833 · 21/12/2013 09:43

Sock, I meant an individual appointment to discuss what she missed from the group session. It could be that this Jobcentre are doing WFIs in a group therefore OP will have to go eventually as they are mandatory.
Every day I take calls and rearrange these appointments as small kids get sick, parent gets sick, council choose that day to install new boilers...
Shit happens so rearranging is never a problem for IS customers as long as you let us know. Most of us have kids and are sympathetic to the curve balls thrown when plans are made.

IneedAsockamnesty · 21/12/2013 09:52

Well that makes much more sense

sashh · 21/12/2013 10:21

Where is the baby's father?

Sorry I have just seen he won't take time off, which is bloody ridiculous. As is the fact she is claiming IS when he should be supporting her at least until his baby is a bit older.

She needs to phone them. They might be able to help.

I also agree that the baby needs to be in nursery soon for when she starts her teacher training, which is not a 9-5 job.

PrimalLass · 21/12/2013 10:31

My last smear test involved my (then) 3-year-old sitting on my chest at the same time. I had even taken her brother's DS in to distract her - but no. It did break the ice however.

PrimalLass · 21/12/2013 10:31

DS as in the console

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