Want to go back to college or uni. to get a career in something....

[SparklyGothKat]

but don;t know what to do. I like the idea of training to be a midwife, but I only have GSCEs in english, maths and art and design (c and above) all my other subjects I got Ds and Es. I didn't fail any of my GSCEs but didn't do as well I could have. I retook my maths at college and got a C, where I also got A* and B in art and design.

The other thing I was thinking about was a florist course, but I don;t think that it would provide enough money for our family.

Any ideas??

No pressure at all, at all. Won't do any harm to wait but otoh it's worth asking anytime you're ready.

even if you are worse off - as long as your not on the bones of your arse worse off and just uncomfortably worse off for a time, remember in 4 years in 2011 you could be earning a basic of 19 - 20k (ish) two years after that you could be on 25k ( ish)

and you will have THE most invaluable of things. a renewed respect for yourself
pride

and that fab picture with a mortar board and scroll!

thats a bugger isn't it? Will only get £77 a week while studying, and will lose my CA or I can work in a supermarket pt and earn £84 a week and keep it!!???

If dh is at GCSE level he can do a basic skills for GCSE course which will be less than 21 hours and he can claim the carer's.

part time course?

Or your mum/anyone who lives nearby can claim carer's. You must do it, sparks. It will be great and you will be great.

I am thinking that a PT might be the way to go, as the kids have lots of appointments anyway. DS is going to Great ormond street next month to discuss surgery which has a 18 months recovery period, just to get back to where he is now, and a futher 2 years to get him better.

Dh already gets CA for Dd1, I get it for DS. I am more worried about losing my housing benifit as I couldn't afford the rent...

a question you must ask the college is " what constitutes full time?"

sometimes full time means half days on certain days and isn't really fullt ime at all.

i certainly found this when i got to uni. that even calling it full time wa a piss take - i chose units which where on the same day rather than for any academic enthusiasm - so i could have a full time uni courrse done in 2 days a week and then get a job!

so worth asking " what is full time? what is a typical day?"

Remember there are two of you, though, sgc, and that leaves lots of options for dividing and conquering. One of you could go to college ft and leave the other to do the bulk of caring and ensure full benefit claims. And then you could swap. Or you could both go pt. Or one pt, one full time. Or lots of things. Have a good think and get proper advice but don't give up before you've started.

I won't, I will make an appointment with the DWP to see where we would stand, and what we would lose, and how much worse off we would be, if its a small amount then I can do it. I am excited now...

Housing benefit definitely won't be a problem under the current rules.

It is v v v v v v v exciting.

yes indeed y sparkly

whats the current rules SM? my head is begining to hurt, looking at the DWP site trying to work out how it all works.. lol

Er, the rules as I understand them at the moment! Whatever happens, you will get housing benefit and council tax benefit because of the kids. You will also get DLA for both as that's not means tested. So it's just the carer's allowance which is a possible problem depending on your exact arrangements.

Night guys- must get to bed now. I will dream of all our future cord skirted glories in the world of social work and midwifery.

I will possibly lose my carers and my IS. which totals £114 a week, so not a huge amount to lose but if we lost the housing benifit too that would be very hard.

Thanks for all your advice, Am going to bed now, will look into it further tomorrow.

Hi sparkleyGK- Univ of herts do a part time midwifery degree over 5 yrs ( 21 hrs per week) maybe of some use to you?

have a look at their website.

hope this helps.

(good luck!)

does the midwifery course inc shifts though as in night s too and when you graduate will you be able to cover shift work with your dh?

custy I'm applying for that course for this year! (although I'm taking such a long time to fill in the forms I will probably miss the deadline).

at sussex?

Sparkly, try looking on here , there are loads of threads about finances whislt training for midwifery, it's a really good site and they have links to others too.

You'd get onto an access course easy as anything with your gcse passes.

yes