Lone parents expected to seek work when kids are 5?

[champagnesupernova]

Just catching up on yesterday's news and saw this and was surprised there wasn't anything about this on here already

What do you think?

Yes they would dreamingofsun, but that is what I am saying. A married mum hasn't got the same restrictions as a single parent when looking for a job.

If I didn't have my mum for childcare then I could not do the job I am doing now. I'd have had to carry on looking for something between 9:30 and 2:30, Mon-Fri and term time only.

As it is, I still am looking for that, as my mum won't be up for having my dc forever, but whilst I look for that I am doing my current job.

I don't think it is a case of not liking childcare, but more that there isn't always any childcare option available.

Exactly, as I said earlier our school has 40 afterschool places to 300 kids

Nutcracker - why doesnt your exdp have a job?

They also don't have the option of taking a 15hr a week job to bring extra into the house like someone with partner does, as they won't get WTC for working 15hrs.

Because he doesn't want one rainbow.

original - but there are loads of jobs where you only work during the day. and don't assume because someone's married that their husbands are around during the evenings - mine has to work away from home all week.

sounds like an excuse to get out of working to me.

I think something needs to be done about the 15hr rule too. I had at least 3 jobs that I was interested in, where it was 15 hours, and they'd not increase it to 16. That meant I couldn't apply.

Why dorsnt he help your mum out with the childcare?!

what a shit.

It is not an excuse dreaming.

When I split up with xp I was working evenings. I had to give it up because there was no one to have the dc.

What would you have suggested I do ?? My dc were 3,6 and 8 at the time.

I didn't say that all women have their husbands around of an evening or weekends either, but those that do, can find work easier than a single parent.

He does currently have two of the dc in the morning when I go to work, and then takes them to school.

This though is the limit of his parenting duties, and is subject to change whenever he thinks I have a new man in my life.

dreaming - that's the problem - there just aren't enough jobs during the day for single parents to take, especially if they don't have specific skills (round here that would include fork lift truck driving, a HGV licence, machinist experience, shoe making experience, or experience as a chef - LOADS of chefs jobs round here right now if anyone is looking for one of those ).

On the note of what we do during the day, well DS3 is only at nursery 4 mornings a week at the moment. But in that time I'm generally sorting varous things for church/parish. Popping into the schools to arrange for them to come and sing at our Carol service, and attempting to make sure there are no clashes with music, producing the weekly church newsletter, that goes out to several elderly people in our parish that are housebound so that they are at least able to know what is going on, doing assembly once a month at the school,

My TV is never on in that time, and I'm proud to say i've never watched more than 5 minutes of one episode of JK

Rainbow I find it incredibl;y sad that you have never seen your child's school play.

I don't think it's fair that someone like you has to go out to work and miss these things - it's not fair on your child either.

I doubt many of us are lazy. It's just an almost impossible task to actually find a suitable job that means your children are not left on their own for a few hours a day, or in the care of people whom they don't really know.

Not being aware of individuals' circumstances it's not appropriate to judge, but for a minimal income on benefit I would rather be around to see my child's play.

Life is too f*cking short to miss those things. I don't think any parent should be made to work at the expense of their child's happiness, security (emotional - not financial) and comfort. My 7yo would totally freak out if he had to go to after school club. He has separation anxiety already.

I couldn't do that to him...were term only and limited hours available reaidyl of COURSE many single parents would jump at the chance to work.

chef work must be irregular hours...

no,kick all the 2 parent families into the irregular hours so us lone parents can have the school hours....the government will be bringing this in next as it could be the answer!!!

You'd think teachers would be more appreciative of those who are around to help out on trips, changing Reading books etc in the say rather than saying 'how nice for you wish I could do that' in a patronising way

dreaming - my exH worked from 10am until 9.30pm - I then went to work a night shift.

I can't work a night shift, not unless I want SS (rightly) knocking on the door to know why I'm leaving my children at home alone at night.

I'm worried enough as it is about leaving DS1 at home during the school holidays and what will happen if someone decides I'm neglecting him and reports me.

If a partner works away all week then at least the SAHP can look for work during the day that is less than 16hrs a week,

They can take that lunchtime supervisor job for 7.5hrs a week, or that cleaning job that's 9.15-11.15am 5 mornings a week.

A lp can't even consider those jobs

Sprinkle - some of them appear to be set hours - they're looking for lunchtime sous chefs and the like and I do know someone who worked for one employer that's recruiting at the moment who said they were quite good at doing "set hours" - so you could probably get a day time chef job with them

both those jobs add up to over 16 hours tho,so in theory,it would work....but be greedy and work both jobs

i said this to lp advisor....often in life i have found part time jobs,where after a while,and you've kind of proved yourself,the extra hours are offered

bigchris - maybe once all the TA's have been laid off they will be

Lots of single parents manage to work without family support. I do. Ds has no contact with his father and no day to day family support.

mamot - 7.5 hours a week is not going to make any significant different to our finances - you could only do this if your husband earnt a fortune and you didn't really need to work anyway.

no-one is saying that its easy getting a job during the day or that you are definately going to get one in the current climate. i think the arguement is that you should be actively trying to get one rather than expecting others to support you.

I don't know £45 a week on top of my exH's old salary would have done me quite nicely. Nearly £200 a month more.

But MolliO - you've managed to find childcare that fits around your hours, and you obviously earn enough to be able to make it viable after paying transport and childcare costs.

I didn't say that single parents couldn't work without family support, I said that working unsociable hours 7pm-7am/weekends is generally only possible if you have other support available to you

MaMo it is borderline viable tbh but it pays the mortgage and means I'm self reliant.

Rainbow not sure I understand why you have never seen your child's school plays. Are you a teacher and couldn't get the time off?

I use probably a week of my annual leave to attend all the school stuff (half days here and there). If I were a man I'd just go into work late but as a female single parent I'm doubly scrutinised at work. [hsad]

ok - I'll admit it MollieO - I'm slightly at you being self reliant and being able to pay the mortgage.

It sticks in my throat like a, like a I don't know what that even once I start working I'll still be heavily reliant on the state to keep me afloat and be able to pay my rent.