Difficulties you have faced re-starting your career after kids

[soontobedivorced]

Hi, I've been on mumsnet for years and am now back at uni doing an MSc in Occupational Psychology. For my dissertation I'd love to do some research into the barriers to women returning to work/re-starting their careers/barriers to progression after kids / discrimination from employers/dhs/dps - I speak from personal experience, trying to find work after 9 years as a SAHM is a bloody nightmare and ex-dh still sees all things kid-related as my responsibility as he "couldn't possibly take time off work".

Anyway, I'm trying to firm up a research question so thought I'd put it out there. If you could do some research on this area, or have a voice on discrimination you have faced, what questions would you like to ask / areas would you like to investigate? I'm thinking of possibly doing a questionnaire of some sort on here as I'm guessing employers won't like their female employees blowing the whistle on discrimination they have faced ;)

I'm just starting to think about returning to work after 4 years of being a full time mum. I am really wondering how it will all work! I've just spent 2 hours trawling websites and finding next to nothing that I think I could even apply for. The practicalities of finding work having been out of the jobs market is just one aspect though isn't it? My head at the moment is full of the fact that I do feel I've worked bloody hard over the last 4 years, and learned a lot in the process, but in the world of paid work it means sweet f a. Also, if I do find a job is dh going to chip in with the household stuff? Something tells me probably not. Why is it that you have to be in paid employment to earn respect from the world in general, and even from your partner?! That's what I'd research! Aaargh, ranting!!!

I am not yet returning to work - 3 yrs into sahm - but I was/am a teacher and was I find discriminatory and worries me is that there are a number of routes and awards to help people join the profession - advice bodies/short courses that recognise previous study etc - and yet for those of us wishing to return having, my in case done 13 yrs service, there is nothing to help that transition - return to teaching course have been stopped and when I contacted the "get into teaching" group (used to be teacher development agency I think!) - they agreed with my assertion that as I would be expensive (as a teacher you can not drop down the salary scale from where you were) compared to a newbie and yet lacking recent experience I may well struggle to find employment. End of conversation! Specific to teaching I know but the whole concentrate on the young/fresh/less outside commitments thing might be a common issue????
Good luck and sorry but I too am ranting! (I guess that indicates an interesting thing to research!)