How how how?

[singlepringl]

Hi I am a single mum to a three year old.
DD dad decided he didn't want to be a parent and left when I was pregnant (blah blah that's a different story) so it's always been just me and her.
I would love nothing more to work, ive got all ALEVELS and could turn them into a career if I wanted to but how do people work with children?
We are living on benefits, I know I'm a horrible person, and have tried so hard to look for work, but DD only goes to nursery 4 morning 9-12 (increasing to 5 days in jan) and other than that I have no child care at all. My parents work full time so can't help out, my siblings live in a different city and my grandma is just to old to manage now.
I've tried for jobs to fit around our life but NOONE in my area will employ me for a shoddy 3 hours a day. Tried lunchtime supervisor in a school, tried a cleaner, tried the local shops etc but it's not flexible enough.
Please don't bash me for being a single mum on benefits, I actually am quite embarrassed by this, it's not the life I had imagined for me and my daughter. Not that there's anything wrong with needing to rely on benefits but I can't see a way out yet.
Do I just have to put up and shut up and wait until she's in full days and then look? Or is there something else I can look at? I can't afford other childminders as she already gets the free 15 hours so would need to pay for this, but this would be about £40 a day (average for our area) and some weeks we only have £60 to live on. (Please don't think this is a woe is me post, it isn't, simply a young mum looking for advice) thank you.

Do you think you could move her nursery hours to the afternoons instead then look at pubs serving lunches for work?

I work 12pm-3pm mon-fri in a hotel covering reception when they go on lunch break and serving food/drinks. Loads of local pubs are looking for staff for the daytimes because university students work the evenings and weekends.

Oh what a good idea I never even thought of that!! Thank you will have a look round local pubs tomorrow while she's at nursery, thank you

Good luck.

You could do an online TA coarse - make sure it's accredited and not a certificate

Won't you get help with childcare? Have you asked at the local benifits office, they can do calculations of how your situation would work

Also look at school canteen staff, saves holiday childcare

What about local garages evenings when your parents could sit at yours while the baby sleeps?

Does her dad help out at all? Or his parents?

Please don't be ashamed to be on benifits, it's thee to help you out in the short term.

I've asked about childcare and they'll pay a small percentage but I just simply can't manage to pay the rest.
My parents work very long hours and commute everyday so although they'd love to help by the time they get home it's about 8pm as it is.
Nope dad has never saw her, or his family!
Have tried school staff and they just say they'll keep my cv on file but then nothing.

cleaning? you can sometimes get cleaning jobs for a few hours a day. My friend just set up her own small business just her. She made cards and put them thru peoples doors. You just have to do tax returns which is the hard bit but she manages fine and usually doesnt earn enough to have to pay any tax anyway, but does earn enough to support herself.
Similarly childcare, childminding or even babysitting. Get a CRB check done and make your own cards.

PS you are not a horrible person for living on benefits please dont say that. They are there to help people in your position you are perfectly entitled to them. It is very difficult to work at the moment if you are caring for a toddler or baby on your own without much family support.

If earn over a certain amount per week then you'll get 30 hours childcare funded. You could do lunch time supervision or similar at a school as then you'll have holidays off so no worries about childcare in the holidays

Go volunteer in a school while you can!! You'll stand a better chance when they advertise jobs

Agency care work is usually quite good for this type of situation.

Everyone seems to bash 0hr contracts but I found it very helpful when working around uni with a child and my partner working 60-70hr weeks.

It meant I could say "I can work 2-3 hours on these days, where do you want me?"

Do you have a lone parent contact at your local job centre? It may have changed since I was a L.P. but they used to pay for your child care fees if you found work experience...they would also fund certain courses. Forget the shame and look forward, what did you want to do before you had DC? I would go and see what you can get for free now (be grabby if it moves you forward and will help your future). I have a freind who managed to get on a course (it was called PETLE or similar), then worked as a teaching assistant in a school for a while and (without a degree) is training on the job to be a teacher.

I think it's easier to bag the study now when your child is younger. Life gets easier as they get older but once they hit school age term time jobs become the holy grail.

I've also learnt to shop around for my local nursery, my current nursery is hugely flexible, I can drop early or add extra days on a pay as I need basis and choose the days I need.

...other option, anything you're goid at that you could turn into a business? There used to be loads of free support for that too.

Good luck op and never be ashamed of your situation!

In your situation i would set up my own cleaning or ironing business if you drive?

I don’t think many pubs open 9.15-11.45?

You weren't paying attention
Wishingandwaiting

Dom care agency's and companies like merry maids all offer 0 hour contracts

If not a swop to five afternoons could you swop to 2 whole days and a half day? It would be easier to find work for two days a week.

Have you come off benefits onto a 0 hour contract recebtly IAmAShitHotLawyer? I only ask because it used to be an absolute nightmare...you're 'employed' therefore benefit stops, but if you don't get any work hours it becomes very hard to claim for that week. The system is so slow that you'll have run out of cash by the time your claim is processed. It could have changed though...but I doubt it. I think the OP should aim higher and aim for a proper contract with sick/holiday pay.

There are adult learning centres that can help you to retrain. I have just completed a Helping in Schools course through WEA. Twitter link twitter.com/WEAadulted

But their site seems to be down at the minute. The courses are supported by the local university (Leeds) and they encourage people with A levels to think about retraining. They have a Lifelong Learning Centre plus taster days etc which might help you get some more qualifications.

www.llc.leeds.ac.uk/

I have just done a day there supporting a friend who was getting her GCSE in Maths and wanted to think about the future. I have a degree already, she just needed a hand hold.

Volunteer in the sector you are interested in whilst your DD is in nursery.

When I was a single parent (this was 4 years ago) I was very fortunate in the fact that I was already employed as a nursery nurse. So my DS came with me and tax credits paid 75% of my childcare fees. That was the only way it made it easier. Also because I worked at the nursery my DS got a staff discount on his fees.
Not sure if all nurseries provide that privilege for their staff, but worth enquiring. I only worked 3days a week and DS was in nursery 3 full days.
When he went to school, I changed my hours to 9.30-2.30 in order to get him to and from School, but later sent him to their breakfast and after school club, again tax credits assisted with these fees.
After a year I found it a struggle with the long drive (10 miles) so moved to a local pre-School and continued the breakfast and after School club. Because I worked in a pre-School, it was teen time only so I didn't need to find childcare in the holidays as some providers ask £40 a day and it just wasn't worthwhile. Although tax credits would have helped with the fees.
Not sure if any of that is helpful.
Moving onto my current situation- I am now married and my DH works full time and I work alternating weekends in a supermarket. My DC are 11,3,2 during the week I am a SAHM because together childcare costs would leave us with minus money when you are putting in three children. So we decided to sacrifice and I stay at home and I love it!! My kids hopefully will appreciate the fact I was at home for them. I wish I was in a position to have stayed at home with my first, but like you embarrassed by being a single parent wanted and needed to work. So I just made it work, and I guess I was lucky in already having a job.
Good luck what ever you decide to do.