Catch 22 ?

shiprob195

I am after a bit of advice really.

I am a single mum to 2 DS, one at high school the other at pre-school.

I am currently on CB, IS, CTC and council tax benefit and get CM from the ex H.

I have been looking for suitable work for the last 18 months (since the ex left) but have allways been met by the same obstacles......lack of suitable childcare.

My skills/ experience are in the care industry (homecare assistant/ day care assistant). Over the last 18 months I have applied for, and received job offers for 4 positions.

But when it comes to the crunch I am unable to find a child minder/ nursery with vacancies at the time I need them.

Fast forward to last week........I am interviewed and get offered a position as "Home care assistant" ....fab, or so I thought.

They mumble at the interview about me being able to choose what days I can work and the hours etc etc.

I get a job offer in the post today, wanting me to accept the job offer in writing by the 14th Feb.


How can I accept a job if I don't know what days/ hrs I will be working.

I need to get child care in place before starting work.

Sorry for the long and rambling post.

Shiprob :mad:

Googlewhacker

phone them up and ask them for clarification surely would be the best thing to do?

dmg24

shipr!!!95 wrote: »

How can I accept a job if I don't know what days/ hrs I will be working.

Really novel idea for you, ring them and ask?

(Crossposted!)

shiprob195

Googlewhacker wrote: »

phone them up and ask them for clarification surely would be the best thing to do?

I have just done that....why do they lie at interview.

They definately said there would be 16-20 hr contracts both before the interview on the phone and during the actual interview.

Now they have just said zero hr contract.

I have had to decline the offer.

I just feel I have wasted my time and theirs........Oh well, back to the drawing board.:cool:

dmg24

shipr!!!95 wrote: »

I have just done that....why do they lie at interview.

They definately said there would be 16-20 hr contracts both before the interview on the phone and during the actual interview.

Now they have just said zero hr contract.

I have had to decline the offer.

I just feel I have wasted my time and theirs........Oh well, back to the drawing board.:cool:

Why have you declined? Surely some work is better than none?

shiprob195

Because in order to get help with the childcare, I need the magic 16hrs employment.

I will be much more employable in sept when my youngest is at school.

Unfortunately the type of work I am experienced in is usually unsocial hours/ irregular shirt patterns.

I have a interview with my lone parent advisor in a couple of weeks...I will discuss my options then.

dmg24

shipr!!!95 wrote: »

Because in order to get help with the childcare, I need the magic 16hrs employment.

I will be much more employable in sept when my youngest is at school.

Unfortunately the type of work I am experienced in is usually unsocial hours/ irregular shirt patterns.

I have a interview with my lone parent advisor in a couple of weeks...I will discuss my options then.

A nil hours contract could quite easily mean that you are working on average sixteen hours or more. Did you discuss what hours you might be offered when you rang up? You don't seem to have thought this through.

shiprob195

dmg24 wrote: »

A nil hours contract could quite easily mean that you are working on average sixteen hours or more. Did you discuss what hours you might be offered when you rang up? You don't seem to have thought this through.

It could also mean 5 hrs one week, 12 the next.
I did discuss it at length before the interview (I was anxious not to waste their time).
They were really keen to have me on their books, because of my qualifications and experience, upon getting the job offer letter, it seems the positon is more of a "bank carer".

Very missleading according to my lone parent advisor, I have just spoken to on the phone.

The job was advertised through the job centre as a 16-20 hr contract.

redpete

shipr!!!95 wrote: »

it seems the positon is more of a "bank carer".

So the flexibility would go both ways - they offer you work when it is available, you accept work when you are available (and can arrange child care). Could you not have taken it on this basis or is there no child care available except on a fixed and regular basis?

shiprob195

redpete wrote: »

So the flexibility would go both ways - they offer you work when it is available, you accept work when you are available (and can arrange child care). Could you not have taken it on this basis or is there no child care available except on a fixed and regular basis?

Yes thats the problem for many single mums/ dads.
I have no childcare unless I pay a childminder/nursery...and the ones in my village won't accept casual hours anyway.

May have to have a rethink on my career.

Kate78

Zero hours contracts are the norm for most home care jobs.