Want to return to work/college after 5 year mat leave-help!

[Charlielj]

I left my job as a mental health support worker in 2008, took extended mat leave and now have 2 children. Desperate to get some sort of work life back but having no luck with job at the same level I was at due to the gap, can't get onto a degree course to train as a nurse as I have not been in higher education for over 3 years, can't get onto an access course to enable me to get onto degree course as I don't have c in maths gcse, can't get lower paid job as it won't cover childcare, don't know what to do and feeling very negative about ever returning to meaningful career. Does anyone have advice about how best to get back into work with nhs and/or possible training?! Help!

If the only thing stopping you get on an access course is the GCSE maths, could you resit it? If you've already got a NHS funded degree for your mental health career, are you sure that they'll fund you retraining to become a nurse? Also are you sure you want to be a nurse, just thinking about childcare issues and shift work etc even if only on placement.

A lot of mums on here are now struggling to get back into the work place after a career break because there are fewer jobs around and they skills and experience aren't as current of those of other candidates, so you're not the only one in this boat.

Please don't take offence, but your OP reads a bit like you're panicking to find some NHS based career, anything. Given the choice, would you rather go back to your original career, or retrain as a nurse? Pick one and go with it.

Also, does your job have to cover childcare? Do you have a DH / P, as their wages will also need to be considered as part of this. If you're retraiing, the end result would make it worth colelctive betl tightening to cover child care costs for the duration of the course for example.

Yes can resist maths but its a year, then a year for the access and then 3 years for the degree, I'm 39 and worried about how long it will take. I was working at the same level as a nurse when I left but had only 2 years completed of mental health nursing degree previously. I would love to be a support worker again but as I haven't done it for so long I can't even get an interview. I'm not entitled to even sign on as I haven't paid NI contributions due to being a sahm. Just feels like whatever I try to do I come up against a brick wall!

Can you get any care home work temporarily, just so you have some element of caring back on your CV, maybe with patients with alzheimer's etc if you're looking at mental health work?

Yes, I think that kind of thing or volunteering is going to be the best way back into it unfortunately! Thanks for your help-that was my first ever post!