EMA - small rant

Hapless_2

If my daughter wants to leave home then she too will have to stand on her two feet. I cant imagine for one moment she will change her mind, she is in love and doesn't care much for her family right now.

Tbh, she probably feels that her family doesn't care for her much right now either. You say it was hard for you at 16, put yourself in her shoes, boyfriend, friends and all of a sudden..."We are moving to the other side of the country, you either come with us or tough". She probably feels a bit angry herself. Of course she doesn't want to move away from her friends and no doubt she doesn't want her family to move away from her. I imagine she feels she has to choose between friends/boyfriend and family. Not an easy choice at 16 when she is on the verge of adulthood.

pandas66

zoezoe wrote: »

Gosh I have not stopped worrying since the moment she told me that she refuses to come to plymouth. But I do have to go, need/want whatever.

But none of this is relevant, my post was just a small rant about how the EMA does not help those most in need, those who are estranged from their parents. It will only provide an EMA to an estranged child if they are also on IS, presumably if they have children of their own.

I was only 16 when I had my daughter and I was entitled to IS but only the basic under 18s amount. I left home at 16 and raised my baby with £50 a week and paid £10 towards my rent (landlord was a conn man - long story). It has all taught me a very valuable lesson. As a single mum I went through my gcse's, a levels and a degree. There was no EMA and for the most part I worked part time also.

If my daughter wants to leave home then she too will have to stand on her two feet. I cant imagine for one moment she will change her mind, she is in love and doesn't care much for her family right now.

I think this is far more relevant zoezoe, sorry its all gotten a little daft. I think if your daughter wants to stay in the area because of the b/f then its simply (financially) ain't going to happen, tell her to look into how she is going to fund it all.
She needs to see the college too. She will have a lot on her plate, it probably seems so easy for her.

zoezoe_3

my mistake

Hapless_2

zoezoe wrote: »

Not being funny, but aren't students supposed to do these things anyway ??? College is hard work but you have to be kidding if you think it is *that* hard !! LOL !! Its not as hard as working full-time, its certainly not as hard as rasing a family. And my daughter will be getting a job to buy her bits and peices whether she moves or not. I am not going to give her £30 a week pockets money !!

Been there and done all 3 thank you, college, worked full-time and had a family.

The difficulty of the course depends on the course. The EMA is to encourage students to stay on and not dump their courses for a low paid job, but they have to work hard at the course to keep it. When I was at college, the number that dropped out because they could not afford the bus fares, (there were no college passes) equipment or field trips or parents could not afford it. The EMA is to take the pressure off and to keep kids in college who would not normally be able to go.

zoezoe_3

my mistake

Hapless_2

TheWaltons wrote: »

Oh dear.. how is he now?

He's 22 now, and never been back home.

TheWaltons_3

zoezoe wrote: »

SO why does this not include students who have left home but who are not on IS ??

that is similar to other benefits. I remember when I couldn't pay the rent on my flat, I was working full time and up and down the Country to my boyfriends.. got an eviction notice because I hadn't paid my rent... and after 6 months of this went to the Council who made me sign on and told me they couldnt' help pay my rent arrears as I wasn't claiming IS!!!! :rotfl:

No pat on the back there, for trying NOT to sponge off the Government!

Hapless_2

zoezoe wrote: »

SO why does this not include students who have left home but who are not on IS ??

Because if they are working near full time hours then they cannot do a full time course. EMA is usually paid for a full-time course. Full-time courses usually mean 21 taught hours and then there is personal study time on top of that, how can she do this with a 26 hr job? Unless she does not intend to have a social life.

Hapless_2

When I was 16 there were no EMAs. I had a choice, go on a YTS or move out. I moved out after sometime on the YTS so I could return to college. My parents could not afford for me to go to college to do A-levels or whatever.
If it wasn't for the EMA my neice would not be able to go to college because my SIL would not be able to take her, there is no college bus from their village, she has to be driven for 6 miles to the bus stop.

zoezoe_3

my mistake