To find a job as a single parent to a toddler with no family who can help with childcare?

[Camcam]

Was wondering how it can be done. I have a DS (1) and a single parent for 6 months. Currently on UC living at my parents house but I am desperatly wanting to find a part time job to be able to move out.
I wouldn't mind a full time job but wouldn't be able to afford daycare full time. (On UC, I can get £650 help towards childcare which would cover it if I work part time but full time I dont know how I would afford it). I used to be a cabin crew which would be impossible to do now due to childcare and all other work experience has been in minimum wage jobs.
Family members deceased or work full time so unable to help with any childcare, ex lives away.
I've been applying everyday for any part time job I can find (admin/customer service/cleaning/housekeeping/care/factory work/deliveries/retail) but all of them require weekend work. early mornings or late finishes which wouldnt fit into daycare hours. None seem to have fixed days either which I would need to be able to put DS into daycare part time.
I was thinking of doing a pgce but the closest course which does my subject is 1 hour away so what would I do if DS was ill and would have no one to pick him up from daycare?
The whole thing is really disheartening. When I do get an interview, as soon as they find out I can't work weekends or flexibe hours it's over. Even trying to find someone to watch DS for me to attend an interview proves difficult as they're all working. I really want to work as I have since I was 16.
Any advice most appreciated!

Maybe you should post in lone parents. More help there I believe.

Teaching is not great as an option, really difficult to make it work in term time with no back up for ill child. I wouldn’t recommend that. It always sounds ideal for the holidays but it isn’t.

I’d look for something office based that is hybrid with some WFH. Then you can fit in to childcare hours. We have a 1hr commute so if DD is ill it takes over an hour to get to her, that’s not unusual or an issue.

In reality it’s unlikely to be cost effective to work until your child gets the 30hrs funded childcare. Unfair but true. You could study until then to improve employability?

Have you thought about cleaning people’s houses? You can do it at times that suit you and, dare I say it, the money can be cash in hand.

Teaching Assistant? Good experience if you are considering teaching a little later down the line.

Have you got a degree? Could you use this time to study?

I second this.

When I was a single mom I was getting over 12K a year in maintenance loan/grants and also 85% of childcare costs paid as well as UC top-up (I private rented) so financially it was doable for me and means I'm able to apply for a wider range of jobs when my son starts school.

Hi ladies,
Thanks for your replies :) I do have a degree in design but went to work in a different sector after my degree so have no work experience in it. So as far as I’m aware the only degree which will be funded would be a pgce.
Unfortunately the majority of jobs in graphic design I have applied for want full time which isn’t possible until DS starts school. Also as I have no work experience in it most aren’t interested.

Hopefully find something soon!

Don’t do a PGCE. That definitely won’t improve your quality of life.

Where is that £650 upper limit coming from? I would double check that - I'm also a single parent and I'm sure I got more than this via tax credits when I had just the one child and a full time job (I've also had more than that subsequently on UC, with two children and a full time job).

I'm in the civil service which I've found generally to be a very good employer. I'm in a specialist field relating to my degree so that won't help you very much. I did shift work jobs before I had children and I think it would be much much harder to make those work now as a lone parent without family support. I basically do 9-5, and as I've progressed (both in seniority and confidence) I've gotten better at making my hours work for me. (I definitely work more hours than I'm contracted for, but I also pick the kids up at 5.30 every day even though that means on my office days I'm last in and first out. DS was 10 hours a day in childcare whilst I learned it was OK to ask for a bit more flexibility, and I decided DD would never do longer than 9 hours a day unless truly exceptional circumstances.)

I work full time - can't afford to do otherwise.

It is possible.
I work in finance 9-5. Nursery is 8-6 and I have a 30 minute commute.
if i wfh it’s 7 minutes to nursery 😁
I did want to go part time after maternity but because of covid layoffs it didn’t “meet the business needs” I was annoyed but now it actually works. My son and I have our routine and weekends are magic 🙂
UC helps towards childcare.
look into book keeping or credit control roles( business ones are better than personal finance)
admin jobs are usually mon-fri too.

not gonna lie, i’m looking forward to when 30 hours kicks in. But Uc will still help towards the extra that i’ll pay.

It’s definitely possible. I was a single mum to 2 and worked full time pretty much since a year old.

Once your DS is 2 you will get 15 hours. Once you have this they don’t take it away even if you get a job. So your 15 hours (or 11 hours if you stretch it to all year) plus £600 a month childcare will get you around 3 full days a week. Then once they turn 3 it will go up to 30 hours, that plus your UC childcare will get you 4 full days or 5 if you do term time only.

Thanks everyone for the advice :) Determined to find a one soon. If only childcare wasn’t so expensive :(

@Camcam

Have you thought of doing a PGCE by distance learning? You need to find your own placements.

I'm thinking of doing this. I've always wanted to teach, but only getting round to it now I'm almost forty 😂

If you were previously cabin crew, what about something else in aviation? Check in maybe or something back office? Then your experience isn't wasted as such.

Hi can any one help looking for part time job flexible im singe mum so my working hr ideally wold be only 10 to 2pm 4 days a week if any one have any ideas I have no experience no qualification,

I am a single parent and have worked throughout having my 3 DC. Often full time and part time for a few years. No family (they are 250 miles away) and my ex moved overseas so it was just me. In the earlier years when working part time I got help from UC, and used nursery and then wrap around care. I am a civil servant and they are very flexible. I didn’t work at home when they were younger but now my team are hybrid and many take a late lunch and collect DC and then log back on for another hour or so if DC old enough to watch TV / play quietly. I used holiday clubs in holidays but we do allow term time working and so we have some people do that. I’ve always loved working and I made it work.

It’s definitely possible to work full time before they start school. Many single parents do. In fact it’s easier then as nurseries don’t have school holidays.