help me to help a 15 year old who has NO family support

[colditz]

She wants to do a hairdressing course next year (she is nearly 16)

She has NO income, and lives with a friend of her distant relatives. The woman she lives with is elderly and disabled and cannot afford to pay for her equipment, which will come to around £200.

Her family won't. She says her mother will say she will help, but will bung her £10 and say she hasn't got any more. She is very stressed, saying she doesn't know how to get 'grants and stuff' and worried that she won't be able to start this course.

She is hell bent on doing this course. I really don't believe it's just a whim.

She's vaguely related to my neighbour, which is how I know her - the neighbour can't afford to help her at all.

What can I do to help this poor girl? I can't afford to pay for it myself or I would - but she needs the equipment by September.

I'm so, so angry that she is so worried about this, that she is even in a position that she is worrying about if she can afford to complete her education, I feel I must do something.

Okay if she is staying with this person and is under 16, and this isn't a close relative, then this counts as a private fostering and social services should be involved. Then her social worker should be able to help her fund her course. Has she been in contact with Connexions?

I would say that both social services and connexions should be contacted. I bet her mother is still claiming child benefit for her. This does need to be formalised.

The college should have some sort of student services support ...can she approach them? The college my ds is at has excellent student support

According to her mother, no child benefit is being claimed for her.

I've just told her that she is to ring the child benefit line and find out if this is true, as the person she lives with and who feeds her should be the person claiming the child benefit.

She isn't being fostered, the lady she lives with is receiving nothing for her, which is why she is so desperate to get some money qand a chance to earn some money via this college course.

When I think about how privileged and self centred I was at 15, and the chances I had regardless, I could weep for this kid.

I don't now if the social services would be the right people to go to, I'd hate to think that they would insist on her being returned to her mother. She really has blossomed since moving out.

This sounds like the sort of thing she needs: discretionary support funds? For 'course-related equipment'...
If you poke around the directgov website there is more stuff about EMA etc as well.

If her parents were divorced, the non-resident one would have to keep funding her until she finished education IIRC, seems silly that there is no obligation on parents who are still together. But probably true.

her parents are both unemployed, so there is no money to be had from either of them.

Well someone will be entitled to get child benefit for her until she is 19 and still in full time education so I'd def say that is the first thing to sort out! The person who she lives with may need to be the one phoning up to claim for it etc.

Money Saving Expert has a section with links to funding/grants for education.

Colditz can you email me on zippy539 at btinternet.com.

I would be very surprised if someone isn't claiming tax credits or cb for this girl.

She would be better off if ss were involved as they do sort out financial stuff too.

Zippy have done

Colditz - nothing through yet. Will put the dcs to bed and check back again in ten minutes.

Is it .com or .co.uk

I was about to suggest EMA, I'm sure that now goes directly to the student these days. So it would go a long way in helping her out.

If she can't afford to buy the equipment out right, is there anyway she can pay a bit off per week if she qualifies for EMA?

This young girl does seem determined, how about her school? When I went to college there were some small grants that I was given due to dire financial circs to help pay for books and stuff.

no, she has to have it to start with - it is provided by the course tutor, not the college, and she won't get EMA until she has the start of term.

Is there any info on the college website about hardship funds?

Colditz - have sent one back.

You say she won't go to her family church - does that mean she goes to another one? would they be able to help?

I would contact SS and see if they can formalise the current situation, the adult looking after her then may get a fostering allowance to help pay for her food etc.

At the moment, I'm trying to persuade the adults already involved of what they need to do.

My neighbours feed her a lot of the time - she really doesn't go without, but she feels guilty about having to always rely on other people.

I've told them that I'll go to the job centre with them all on Wednesday to talk about this. The situation cannot continue.

Social services wont make her go back.
If she is 15 they will listen to her point of view.
They may check that the peron she is living with is suitable but will be able to advise on finances.

sounds good, hopefully with their goodwill and you helping sort it out there will be a happy result for her.

Well i was 17 and at college full time and i got benefits to support me through college

My mum kicked me out and i was living in private housing - i got housing benefit and extra benefits on top.

Has it changed?

The situation is unfair on the girl and her carer. SS do need to be involved.