Want to return to work after 13 years at home!

[florapup]

I have been at home bringing up my children for 13 years. I need to return to work part-time and don't know how to start! I have no up-to-date references or experience or an idea of what I might be able to do! I am a qualified (if a lot rusty!) secondary school teacher but have no wish to return to the classroom! Any help or advice would be fantastic - thank-you :)

[Decorhate]

maryz - are you sure there are no courses available? Admittedly it is a good few years ago but FAS (I think) used to run return-to-work courses for women. My mother did one - I think it covered things like CV, interview skills, basic computer skills. They also organised work experience which in my mother's case led to a part-time job...

florapup - if you can afford to wait a little longer before needing a paid job, how about doing voluntary work at a local school? They are usually grateful for volunteers, I'm sure they would be very interested in an ex-teacher, say to give extra attention to a small group of children. Usually the head-teacher will be happy to be a referee when you come to apply for paid jobs...

[Sesquipedality]

Florapup. What subjects did you teach? Might help us think of things. Eg just found this at Uni of Salford which if you were from an SET background might apply...

Also wonder if a reference for voluntary work could poss be a character reference who's known you all that time. Not necessarily a work one? Just a thought. I know nothing. Also possible that some other places would maybe accept a character references in place of professioal ones, or in addition. IE two from when you last worked and two who've known you for years. In an ideal world make them as "professional" as possible. Ie friends who are professionals...Worth at least asking if that's acceptable?

[AnnoyingOrange]

when I went back to work after years of SAHMdom, I gave the Chair of the PTA as a reference, as I had been active in the PTA for years.

maryz - running cubs would show your honesty, commitment, communication and organisational skills for example, as well as your experience of working with children.

[florapup]

I taught Geography - not the World's most useful subject!

[Greenshadow]

Don't do Geography down flora.

Geography could be the worlds most useful subject as it relates to almost everything going on in the world.

(Can you tell I was originally a geographer too?)

[florapup]

Useful perhaps, employable probably not! I could wax lyrical about the virtues of studying Geography but the reality is that it is no longer seen as a priority subject within the curriculum. English, Maths and the Sciences are the key subjects and therefore the ones that create a demand for tutors etc. How many of you have actually actively looked for a Geography tutor for your little darlings?

[webwiz]

Surely there will be an upsurge for Geography with the introduction of the E Bacc? You never know there may start being a demand for tutoring!

I've just started volunteering at the CAB and one of my references was a friend who's a teacher.

[enimod]

youll need a crb check/form if you are to work wiht children.

[WhatsWrongWithYou]

I've just been reading this thread and was about to chip in and say pretty much what webwiz said - I'm volunteering at CAB after 15 years at home and had no professional references.

I used two friends, one of whom is a senior nurse and the other a local small business woman.

I'm half-hoping this will somehow catapult me back to work, or at least provide me with a professional reference after a couple of years. Might be worth considering for those of you who don't absolutely have to start paid work asap.

[valmary]

I have been out of work for Ten years, and are still out of work. I have been for interviews, i get told i have been offerd the job. When they try my references, they say they are out of date. I used to work as a health care assistan at a hospital. I have to come out of work to look after my children, and my husband, as he had a heart attack. Can any one advice me what to do.
This is my first time using this.

[Greenshadow]

My work references were also pretty out of date, so I used a tutor from a course I took in the effort to make me more employable and also from various voluntary work I have done during my years out of paid employment.