Is there NO help for parents returning to work after being at home caring for family??

[needthemoney]

RANT ALERT!

I'm feeling really pissed off. I've written before about how I monumentally seemed to have f**ed things up because I stayed at home to look after my kids. I know I can't have my cake and eat it but I thought there would be SOME kind of assistance available to "refresh" my skills and make me more employable?

Brief history, nearly 9 years out of work. Successful career pre-kids but in a precarious freelance business that required erratic and often long hours, no holiday/sick pay etc... Contract ended whilst pregnant with 1st child. Have 2 kids, both in school, in debt and desperately in need of work.

Anyway, have been advised to go to the Job Centre to register as a Job Seeker so I duly go along. Enter an empty building and am welcomed by 2 twitchy looking security guards and a man at a plinth. Can I help you? So I give the spiel about wanting some advice and help about returning to work and am virtually cut off mid-flow by "are you in receipt of any benefits?", Me: "Errr only child benefit" Him: "sorry we can't give you access to ANY of our advisory services as they are only for people who are entitled to Job Seekers allowance or other out of work benefits". He then handed me a faded photocopied "leaflet" that gave me the website address where all the Jobcentre jobs are on. That will be the one that I have accessed online before and ditched because of all the OTE jobs that don't actually pay a wage and catalogue distribution jobs. THANKS.

I then go over the road to the Skills Development Agency. Walk in, smile on my face to be met by a very bored-looking person and say' "Hi, I've just come from the job centre and they said that you might be able to give me some help and advice?" Was met by a surly "Regarding???" I felt like saying, "Make-up and Hair, WTF do you think it's regarding SKILLS DEVELOPMENT!!" He couldn't have given off more of an aura of not giving a toss if he tried. I pressed on and explained my position and if there was anyone I could talk to and he explained that I would have to make an appointment and that he couldn't get me one for over 2 weeks. I agreed to fill in a form and left it with them. There were banks of computers sitting unused but I think I would have been rugby tackled if I'd asked about them. Walked out feeling utterly flat.

I should say that I am in Scotland. Is it like this in the rest of the UK? I am sure I have heard about people being sent on free or subsidised computer courses or refreshers. Up here it seems they lose interest when you hit 25 unless you have been made redundant by a big industry.

Anyway, rant over. Feel free to join in or give advice.

[ssd]

that looks really good needthemoney!

[needthemoney]

Found EXACTLY the sort of project I was hoping existed, operating in Edinburgh (I, unfortunately, am not near Edinburgh ). Funded by Skills Development Scotland and open to people who have been away from work for a minimum of 13 weeks and also open to graduates. Hope I don't get in trouble linking to it. Am going to speak to my local SDS to ask them about a similar deal for my city!

link here

[CareersDragon]

For mums wanting to look at their options in England, take a look at this on the National Careers Service website:

nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/Pages/returningtowork.aspx

[CareersDragon]

No problem - it is specific to Scotland however...

Just a thought for all those SAHMs wanting to retrain for something practical like carpentry or hairdressing at a local FE college. I think that you can do this for free, no matter what your level of education, if you do a full-time course. It is certainly the case in Wales, and reading that Scottish funding document, it looks to be the same there. Not sure about England.

[ssd]

thanks for that table of fees careerdragon

[needthemoney]

BitOutofPractice - you know that thought had flitted across my mind I will continue researching this area!

tiredandsadmum that's some investment you are making, I hope it all works out for you (and you don't remain tired and sad ) That's interesting what you say about the NI situation. I am embarrassed to say that I am woefully underinformed on the contributions issue and it will come and bite me on the arse big time in the future. I paid what was required during my self-employment but since then nothing. I remember having a conversation about Home Responsiblities Protection and understand that now, claiming Child Benefit offers the same sort of contribution. What it will be worth come retirement age is debatable!

CareersDragon thank you for linking to that Skills Development Scotland document. I hadn't looked at that particular document before but had seen a lot of the information before. I thought the Career Development Loan was the most interesting (and the only one that I could see I would be elligible for). Thank you also for your input into this thread. You posted on another of my threads I think and pointed me in the direction of the National Careers Service and Lifelong Learning. That site has been useful and their CV section has helped me re-think my current layout and approach. I am hoping that the person I end up speaking to at Skills Scotland will be helpful - I probably just got a bad first impression and will go with an open mind to my appointment (although they were supposed to call me yesterday and they haven't as yet, will chase!)

[BitOutOfPractice]

needthemoney you could set up as a consultant offering advice to people returning to work after having kids

[tiredandsadmum]

Worried - your friend's situation was mine; coupled with a very hostile divorce, child with SpLD as well. Like other posters on here I was already volunteering in schools and reading charities - anything to prove my commitment to the re-training which I am paying for personally anyway. My new course will cost me over £5k by the time I am finished. What I did find was none of that that helped with applying for jobs in my new field and I still don't have proper paid work yet. I haven't signed on in nearly 30 years but I felt that the supposed training courses and support would be worth it. In my previous career I used recruitment agents - advice on CVs? Codswallop to put it mildly. Changing careers requires quite a different input.

Re; signing on without payment of JSA. There is actually a NI benefit. NI was changed a few years ago. If you have a child under 12 and receive child benefit you are credited with notional class 3 NI contribs - that goes towards state pension, but nothing else. Signing on for JSA, you get notional class 1 NI contrib credited.

[ssd]

this is relevant to me too op, I just dont know where to start....

[needthemoney]

I wouldn't have qualified for redundancy deardarling, you're right. I was just imagining myself in a position where I HAD been employed in a proper job - a pointless exercise granted. As is, getting worked up on here

I agree that there is absolutely no point in being defeatist. I made the decisions I made and I have to live with the consequences. I understand it must sound a bit whingey and entitled to those of you that have worked through your child-rearing years!

Thanks BitoutofPractice - I've had 9 years to think of something I could set up on my own and I've not come up with anything lucrative enough so it doesn't augur well Will keep on wracking my brains though.

[CareersDragon]

Hi there,

I'm sure that if and when you get to see a Careers Adviser that they will be able to help you look at your options, and tell you about funding available. Having worked for Careers Wales, I know that "women returners" are seen as a priority group who may need assistance with re entering the workplace, and reevaluating their next steps etc
Having looked at The Skills Development Agency's website, I found a lot of useful information including this document about different forms of funding available: www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0042/00426908.pdf

I'd suggest that you do a bit of research on their website before your appointment, so that you can get the most out of the time with the adviser.

Alternatively, it might be worthwhile to invest in consulting a career coach/ adviser privately. Not only could they help you to sort out what you'd really like to do, but also give you personal advice on compiling your CV, and with job applications. To find a qualified and experienced adviser, look on the Career Development Institute's professional register //www.theCDI.net

[Worriedthistimearound]

I've just been discussing this with a friend today actually. Although she's in south London not Scotland. She was a management consultant but gave it up to be a sahm 10yrs ago. She has a good degree + an MSc and was a higher rate tax payer before stopping. She has contacted recruitment agencies in her field who have politely told her there is virtually no chance of a return to her industry after so long out. The job centre staff treated her with utter contempt and all they could suggest was that she should consider retraining as a science teacher.

She has no idea what to do. She has volunteered at both school and a charity cafe for years but that seems to count for nothing.
How can it be that there is only support if you've never worked and have little qualifications but a well qualified woman who was previously a higher rate tax payer is barely entitled to advice. I really felt for her and was wondering if her experience was common so this thread is timely; albeit depressing.

[BitOutOfPractice]

Sorry pressed post too soon

Ether doing what you were doing before, a variation on it, or something new

And this is why I am mighty pleased I didn't take a career break

Good luck with the hunt!

[BitOutOfPractice]

Could you set up on your own?

[deardarlingpleaaeexcusemywriti]

I don't get how you would have qualified for training after your redundancy if you were freelance? But if you say you would have then I can't really argue.

I was made redundant from a senior civil service post (along with 2 thousand colleagues) and there wasn't a great deal of help available to any of us. That's life, I'm afraid.

And yes, Individual Learning Accounts would be great, but there have been massive cuts since the coalition came in (I lost my job, for example).

I sympathise to a point, but I don't there's any point being defeatist about it and if you can try to put yourself into a positive frame of mind then that will help.

[BigfootFiles]

SureStart round here offers "help and advice on child and family health, parenting, money, training and employment." With the cuts, I don't know what that looks like in practice, I've seen drop-in sessions advertised for CV writing.

They don't seem to be in Scotland though: www.gov.uk/find-sure-start-childrens-centre

[needthemoney]

No I don't think 2 weeks is a particularly long time but the way it was positioned to me was as if HE was trying to put ME off by saying you'll have to wait 2 WHOLE WEEKS! No skin off my nose. It's hard to put across in a post but the whole aura of the place was lacking any sense of "skill" or "development". It was like I had interrupted their coffee break (maybe i had?!)

And every job I've got the knock-back for so far has said "unfortunately due to the high volume of applicants we are unable to give feedback as to why your application was unsuccessful"

Individual Learning Accounts would have been perfect - remember them? You could get up to £200 towards a course at a further education college. Unfortunately they changed the rules about 2 or 3 years ago that disqualified anyone who already had a degree (I do from decades ago).

And I guess when I was talking about people who had help after redundancy I'm talking about the programmes that are put in place when a major employer (think BAAE) suddenly decides to jettison it's workforce. It's usually a PR exercise. I appreciate it isn't available in every instance of redundancy.

I hate how I'm sounding actually. I'm not one to go cap in hand to the state. There is no help. There possibly shouldn't be any help.

Thanks for all the input so far.

[deardarlingpleaaeexcusemywriti]

And re-reading your OP you have actually been given an appt with the Skills Development Agency but it's not for 2 weeks. Do you really think that's a massively unreasonable wait for a free, non-statutory service? Honestly?

[deardarlingpleaaeexcusemywriti]

Sorry, most people have to pay to study if they're not given on the job training, is what I meant, rather than most people have to pay for training.

[givemeaclue]

I didn't say actual, if there is no help available all you can do is apply for jobs, get feedback and see where it takes you

[deardarlingpleaaeexcusemywriti]

"If I had just been made redundant I would qualify for free training"

Would you? I got made redundant in 2010 and didn't qualify for any.

I don't know what it is you want, really? Free training? Most people have to pay for training.

I'm a SAHM after redundancy and I don't see that the state automatically owes me anything just because I paid into the system and haven't taken anything out.

Yes, if I was desperate and couldn't make ends meet I could claim benefits - it's a welfare state after all. But free refresher courses for SAHMs?

[needthemoney]

givemeaclue what, you mean, apply for an ACTUAL job?

I take it you're gainfully employed yourself

*AVeryJessup" yes, I thought Jobcentres were a complete waste of time too but I kept hearing about people who seemed to have accessed help via them so was prepared to be proved wrong. Recruitment agencies? I've steered clear of them to be honest but maybe that's a confidence thing. I just thought they would be for the thrusting young things and for those who hadn't stepped off the career merry-go-round. But I might give that a try next.

Am currently redrafting my CV into "Functional" and "Targetted" versions which is fun and I have got accepted as a Mystery Shopper so all is not lost Absolutely refuse to become a Chugger though.

[needthemoney]

Plasmaball I was trying to do just that "register as a jobseeker". It doesn't seem to work like that. I was self-employed before having children - I'm not entitled to anything. And subsidized courses, don't exist unless you're in receipt of benefits.

And deardarling I'm doing all that other stuff as well not just sitting on my arse I'm working in a charity shop 1 day a week, am volunteering in the school office 2 mornings a week and spending hours and hours rewriting my CV for each job application (taking stuff off that makes me look too overqualified explaining what my previous career entailed as I'm applying for jobs outside of that world).

And if I tried to apply for a more junior position within my previous industry I would be competing with fresh-faced Oxbridge graduates prepared to work for NOTHING for months on end and I would be old enough to be their grandmother!

I do kind of see your point about "why should I get help". But if I was younger I would, if I had just been made redundant I would qualify for free training. I haven't taken anything out the system for 9 years.

Learndirect does not operate up here Oddboots We have The Skills Development Agency who, as you will note from my first post seem as useful to me as a chocolate teapot .

I'm sure something will crop up eventually but y'know, not looking good at the moment.

[givemeaclue]

Apply for a job? I know it's radical...

[Damnautocorrect]

I'm in the same boat, not sure what to do or where to go for advice really.