Working with a SEN child

[Mamma4573]

I've been a SAHP for a few months. My husband was the SAHP before and we've swapped to give him his turn with his career.

My SEN child has just started school. He has one to one at school because he has many sensory needs and delays and is a flight risk though no physical disabilities. Breakfast club and after-school club are not options because he can't get one to one. We don't have any childcare options - no grandparents nearby and in any case they are in their 70s and can't chase after DS or manage him on their own.

We also live in a small village, chosen because of the great school, but it makes getting to the city very difficult and I couldn't spend more than a few hours there before I need to come home for school pick up.

Even if I could find a part time WFH job, I don't know what we'd do for school holidays. I know that working at the school is the best option in terms of hours and holiday, but it's SO small it seems unlikely.

I'm just looking at my life and I'm a bit sad at what it's come to. I'm very grateful to have time at home with my DS who is benefitting from having me at home, but I had so many career ambitions, all on hold now for who knows how long. I may be in my 50s before I can hope to start work again.

Hi OP,
Have you tried looking at freelance work? I’m not sure what your skill set or experience is but when I was made redundant after mat leave, right in the middle of the pandemic, I looked at workingmums.com (I think that’s the name) and ended up getting a freelance writing job. Like you, my plan was to go back to work as DS got older, but it was becoming more apparent that he had development delays. He is at nursery and has a 1:1 for 15 hours a week as he has a speech delay and suspect GDD.

My job fits perfectly around him and his needs, I wfh term time and four days a week (DH has him one day on the weekend) if DS has a bad nights sleep or I have a TAM meeting, or if he needs picking from nursery early I will do my work in the evenings. Im self employed so Im not entitled to sick or holiday pay, but I make up for it by taking on more work on in term time. I’ve been doing it for just over three years, and at times it has been stressful like any other job but has given me independence and a sense of identity away from being a parent career.