Got a question about income support changes for lone parents?

DX2

FBaby wrote: »

No, I certainly would't leave my kids with anyone who refers to other children as brats. having a disabled child does make you different from the 'average' single parent though, although of course, it depends on the disability, my children shared their nursery days with a number of disabled children,some with physical disabilities, health issues or with learning difficulties.

Glad to see it only took until page 2 that all "single parents" aren't the same and as such we shouldn't all be tarred with the same brush.

bestpud

DaisyFlower wrote: »

Not sure why people seem to think the job should fit in school hours - most jobs dont and that is why childcare is readily available.

I think you missed my point.

There is childcare available during normal working hours, but many NMW jobs for those without qualifications and/or experience (so many lone parents) do not include normal working hours.

How many nurseries/child minders do you know of who work Saturdays/Sundays/Christmas Day (many care and I guess other types of job include working right over Christmas)/nights/after 6pm...?

Because there aren't any around here!

Sooo, just to be clear, I am not saying there is no childcare out there - I am saying there is none for people who have to work unsociable hours! Therefore, parents need to find work which fits into normal working hours, i.e. Monday to Friday and between say 7am and 6pm.

If there isn't nurseries or childminders willing to collect from a child's school then these available working hours will be reduced.

bestpud

FBaby wrote: »

On a pragmatic note... isn't there a rationale behind the fact that the earlier a single parent can get back to work, the more likely they are to go up the ladder to the stage of being able to earn enough to support themselves? The problem with allowing single parents not to work until their kid are over 7 is that by the time they are ready to join/rejoin the work force, they are not highly employable for lack of experience/skills. Even if she/he returns to some form of training, it doesn't take away the fact that they will lack serious work experience, and in our current economy what chance have they got when competing with those who have never taken long time of work? It becomes a vicious circle where they can never see a day where they will be better off working then on benefits. This is why I would draw the line at having to get back to work once children are 2 or 3, but benefits paying 100% childcare. At least by the time the children are at secondary school and don't need any childcare any longer, their mum should be able to support herself without anymore reliance on tax payers (or certainly much more limited)

That I agree with, but the childcare problem for entry level jobs still stands, whatever age the children are!

There will always be people who take the mick and that applies to every benefit out there and every tax loophole too. Any loophole that exists anywhere will be exploited by someone!

katiesmummy

School hours only jobs are very hard to come by, because everyone wants them. Working in retail, catering or care when you're a single parent with no childcare other than what you pay for is nigh on impossible if you have younger children who can't be left alone.

One thing that jobcentres could do for people is help them with cv's and job applications. I looked at a friends cv recently and was shocked at what she was submitting to companies. The jobcentre had actually told her the cv was fine- I found at least 10 spelling mistakes and lots of bad grammar, including several exclamation marks (maybe this isn't a bad thing on a cv but I've never seen it before). I corrected it all for her and although she hasn't got a job yet she has had a few interviews- previously she hadn't had any.

The jobcentre did nothing to advise her on how to make herself look more employable- she doesn't have much work experience and has been on IS for 5 years so that goes against her from the start.

I asked for help with an application for a job within the NHS recently- my lone parent adviser said they don't do things like that. I am fine writing a cv but when it comes to actual application forms I really struggle. I filled it in and sent it back anyway but haven't heard anything as yet.

There is a lot that the Jobcentre could do to help people get back into work but I guess it comes down to financing at the end of the day.

Lowering the age to 5 is a good move- your child is in full time school by then so why do you need to be at home all day? My next door neighbor has a 7 year old and has mysteriously found herself pregnant, despite being single. Not jumping to conclusions but its funny how its happened just as the new rules are coming in.....

loobylou2

DX2 wrote: »

You could say exactly the same for evey other benefit the state give out. There is always going to be people who take the mick.

This is very true however, it still dosen't make it right though does it??? The benefits system should be there for those who are experiencing real hardship and who genuinely need it!!! I work in a position which means I have to talk to people and assess their income and find out what benefits they are actually receiving and some of the figures that I calculate that people receive in benefit are truly astounding not to mention completely excessive. The media are actually not too far off the mark with their stories of benefit excess. People just know how to play the system and something does need to be done about it because in my experience its the people who are in genuine hardship and need the help who don't get it. In fact they are often very surprised when they find out exactly what they are entitled to. Its the ones who are already getting thousands of pounds in benefits which they are possibly not entitled to who complain and kick up the most fuss!!!

bestpud

katiesmummy wrote: »

School hours only jobs are very hard to come by, because everyone wants them. Working in retail, catering or care when you're a single parent with no childcare other than what you pay for is nigh on impossible if you have younger children who can't be left alone.

One thing that jobcentres could do for people is help them with cv's and job applications. I looked at a friends cv recently and was shocked at what she was submitting to companies. The jobcentre had actually told her the cv was fine- I found at least 10 spelling mistakes and lots of bad grammar, including several exclamation marks (maybe this isn't a bad thing on a cv but I've never seen it before). I corrected it all for her and although she hasn't got a job yet she has had a few interviews- previously she hadn't had any.

The jobcentre did nothing to advise her on how to make herself look more employable- she doesn't have much work experience and has been on IS for 5 years so that goes against her from the start.

I asked for help with an application for a job within the NHS recently- my lone parent adviser said they don't do things like that. I am fine writing a cv but when it comes to actual application forms I really struggle. I filled it in and sent it back anyway but haven't heard anything as yet.

There is a lot that the Jobcentre could do to help people get back into work but I guess it comes down to financing at the end of the day.

Lowering the age to 5 is a good move- your child is in full time school by then so why do you need to be at home all day? My next door neighbor has a 7 year old and has mysteriously found herself pregnant, despite being single. Not jumping to conclusions but its funny how its happened just as the new rules are coming in.....

I agree with a lot of what you say, but haven't you contradicted yourself a bit?

You've made the point that school hour jobs are hard to come by and it's difficult for single parents to get them, and then you've gone on to say it's a good thing once the children are at school all day...?

Isn't that the point - most can't find jobs while their children are at school so they would in fact be sat at home alone all day and the kids be sat at home on their own all evening? :cool: Or am I missing something?

katiesmummy

bestpud wrote: »

I agree with a lot of what you say, but haven't you contradicted yourself a bit?

You've made the point that school hour jobs are hard to come by and it's difficult for single parents to get them, and then you've gone on to say it's a good thing once the children are at school all day...?

Isn't that the point - most can't find jobs while their children are at school so they would in fact be sat at home alone all day and the kids be sat at home on their own all evening? :cool: Or am I missing something?

I actually meant that once kids are at school full time its a bit easier for parents to go back to work full-time, as in 9-5 type jobs. I didn't mean working school-hours only. Most schools now have a breakfast club and an after school club so kids can be at school between 8-6 if needed.

I read it back and it did sound contradictory sorry!

bestpud

katiesmummy wrote: »

I actually meant that once kids are at school full time its a bit easier for parents to go back to work full-time, as in 9-5 type jobs. I didn't mean working school-hours only. Most schools now have a breakfast club and an after school club so kids can be at school between 8-6 if needed.

I read it back and it did sound contradictory sorry!

Ah, I think it was me then, as I don't tend to think of school hours as the school day only iyswim?

I would count a job between say 7am and 6pm as coming into the realm of 'school hours' as many can find childcare to fit those times. Certainly anything between 8am and 5pm is within school hours as I see it.

Non-school hours for me are outside the normal working hours of childcare providers so would include evenings/weekends/public holidays etc.

katiesmummy

bestpud wrote: »

Ah, I think it was me then, as I don't tend to think of school hours as the school day only iyswim?

I would count a job between say 7am and 6pm as coming into the realm of 'school hours' as many can find childcare to fit those times. Certainly anything between 8am and 5pm is within school hours as I see it.

Non-school hours for me are outside the normal working hours of childcare providers so would include evenings/weekends/public holidays etc.

Non school hours are the ones that are a problem for a lot of people who don't have the option of flexibility. For those of us who can only do inside school hours, its like fighting a losing battle trying to find work!

Another thing the jobcentre could do is provide support on interview techniques and the like. Its all well and good saying to someone right you need to move over to JSA and find work- if they (for instance) had children very young then its not likely they will have any experience of job interviews.

There are lots of little things that can help improve people's chances of finding a job if only the staff at the jobcentre had the time (and money) to give people more support than just 'have you looked for a job in the last 2 weeks' or 'well if you go back to work earning £x you will be £x better off per week'.

t0rt0ise

I can't wait until people start moaning about unsupervised tearaway children who have no parental role model because the parent is working full time and the chidren are farmed out with various child carers and/or left home alone. I was a lone parent after divorce and was lucky to get a job working at a primary school so was home when my children were at home. I wouldn't have been happy doing anything else even when they were at secondary school. Children need at least one parent there most of the time to give structure and discipline to their lives.

Wasn't one of the tories catchphrases a few years back something about supporting the family.. what a U turn.