Advice please-newly lone parent and need to find work

[KateF]

Would really appreciate any advice here. H and I just separated after years of unhappiness. Have 3 dds aged 11,9 and 6. I think H will pay some support for them and he is currently in a well paid job though not very secure (is a contractor with own limited company). However, he is very bad with money and I want to be independent of him asap. He has never been willing to help with childcare and I don't see that changing.

I trained as a doctor but have not practiced for many years and it would not be practical to try to get back into training now. I could use my background to do a Masters in Public Health and then try to get work in that field (NGOs etc). I have savings as inherited when my mother died 16 months ago so could fund the course and top up whatever H gives in child support but would need to find a job pretty quickly afterwards.

Alternatively I could continue with the OU degree I started last year. I have absolutely loved it and planned to continue to masters and PhD level and try for an academic career but this would take years and I would have to find something part-time in the meantime.

I live in a market town with poor job prospects.Commuting into London gives bigger job market but will be expensive and tricky to juggle with childcare after school as after school club and childminders want to finish 5-5.30.
Have thought about working from home doing Usborne or Phoenix but not sure I could generate enough income from that.

Sorry so long. Have a lot to sort out at the moment.

Hi if your funds allow it why dont you go back into medecine, Financially it is more rewarding, it may be hard initially but nothing really pays as well as this profession in the long run

Could you refresh your medical skills and be a GP? Many women GPs are able to work part-time, and that might be the best use of your time in relation to childcare just now?

Thanks for replying. I am going to look into it but I have no-one to help with childcare and would have to travel to hospitals. I don't think I could cope with travel plus shiftwork without childcare backup which I don't have. My best friend is a consultant, we are meeting up for a chat about it soon (she has no children because she found it incompatible with medicine which says a lot).

Hi i recall reading about a scheme set up to bring women back into medecine in situations like this.

Good luck with this

Just bumping for anyone about now, thanks

Is it at all possible to move to some where you have childcare back up - eg grandparents - and I am sure you can do GP training part time -so I wouldn't rule it the medcine option- and possibly something like an au pair might good back up for shiftwork

Unfortunately I have no family now (both parents dead) and H's live 250 miles away and both work full-time. I've never had any family help. Also my dds are at decent state schools and dd2 has SEN which are finally being addressed so moving would be a very last resort. Have thought about an au pair but not sure where I would house one!
Thanks for suggestions, am going to find out about part-time GP training.

I guess the other thing you could think about re childcare if you don't want/havn't got room for live in is hiring a nanny/housekeeper who would do some late or over nights -would be pricey but you could look at it as an investment as pp says in the long term the finincial gain could be big
oh and make sure you get the financial side of your seperation sorted - not the board for it of course but have you seen a solicitor

I also have 3 children and had 8 years out of medicine (not voluntarily, there were difficult family circumstances, could not work) and I am now back, never hoped it would be possible. Did a 12 month refresher course, was very hard, but if everything goes well I will start working in a couple of months time, part time (applied for flexible training post). Just an idea..I have a supportive husband though, couldnt have managed the last year without his help...but maybe you wouldnt need to do as much as I had to (I have a foreign degree, which made it a bit more complicated)

I think an au pair or nanny is the way forward, as you need childcare to fit around your needs. Your children are school age, so you may be able to put together quite an attractive proposition for potential employees, with time off during the school day.
I really would, in your position, utilise my professional skills. Doing a PhD and looking at a career in academia is perhaps a luxury if you need to earn soon, and with university cutbacks perhaps 'not the rosiest future, and not well paid.
I think you'd find usborne type work pretty unfulfilling tbh