This site is an archive of the OneSpace Forums. Return to forum index.
This site is an archive of the OneSpace Forums. Return to forum index.
Hi my name is Caroline,
I am a career coach who specialises in working with single parents. I am available to answer any questions that single parents have about going back to work or planning a career. This may also involve training, volunteering or self employment.
I can also give support around issues such as work life balance and how to combine parenting with work. Also other practical matters, such as childcare and how to work and look after your family.
If you would like to ask or discuss anything to do with work or developing a career, you can do it here!
Caroline
Hi Harissa
Apologies for the delay in replying I have had flu!
I wonder how did the job interview go?
I am sorry to hear about your allergies and yes that will make finding suitable work trickier for you.
If you are offered a job then the employee will have some responsibility to provide a safe working environment for you. It depends on what it is you are allergic to, for example if it is a cleaning product used in an office then you can ask for this to be changed, if it is a product that is used in the course of the job such as you are working with cleaning products as part of your job then that could be more difficult to change. The phrase is ‘reasonable adjustments’.
You may want to approach this as an equal opportunities issues and you could tick the disabled box on the application form; you could definitely do this in regards to your hearing but could also use equal opps to discuss your allergies in a potential job. It does depend on the employer; again large public sector organisations will have policies in place and will have committed to the equal opportunities agenda. If you declare yourself as disabled when applying for a job at the council you will be seen by Occupational health who will discuss if/ how reasonable adjustments can be made to working environment.
You can always call the HR department of an organisation to discuss health issue before applying for a job to test the water and see what changes they could make and how sympathetically they respond. Finally if you are offered a job but the employer will not make reasonable adjustments you may have a case to take legal action against organisations but this would be time consuming and you may not end up with a job afterwards anyway.
As regards to further training, you need work backwards; look for something vocational, clearly identify which job you will be trained to do when you are qualified, look at the jobs market and potential employers. Finally take your health issues into account so if possible think about what working environment you will be in once you are qualified and working.
Let me know how it goes.
Best Wishes
Caroline
Hi Caroline,
I've just seen ur message and am interested to know what I can do to improve my chances of working with children. I'm temping currently am a receptionist but need to do something more rewarding!! I love working face to face with people but being infront of a computer all day is BORING!! I want to help young people make something decent of their lives either through being a Youth worker, Probation officer, or any other job that can directly help them an dreward me at the same time.
I worry about going into study again as I have three children under 10. How can I get into this type of work whilst working full time? Do I have to do voluntary work along with syudying? So many questions and I don't know where to start!!
Hi there
My first question is do you need to work full time? Many single parents do so as they want to maximise their income but sometime you can work part time and get more tax credits and still get the same income overall.
It is hard to advise on directly as its different for everyone depending on circumstances such as housing costs, childcare costs and rates of pay. You can go to http://www.entitledto.com a website which will work out your tax credits for you according to the information you put in, you could put in income info for a part time job and see what you would be entitled to. Or you could phone the tax credit helpline but remember if you housing benefit they will not be able to tell you about you entitlement to this only to tax credits. You may be able to work a lot less hours per week without being too much worse off which would leave you time to study or volunteer so can develop your career.
You mention you are interested in youth work or probation work. My initial thought on this is that youth work may involve evening or weekend work which is hard for many single parents to manage unless you choose to work in a school or in an organisation such as connexions where the hour maybe more standard.
The probation Service is public sector organisation and is likely to offer good benefits and security as well as possibly flexible working hours. I think there are opportunities to work in probation as a trainee probation officer, I am not sure if you need experience or qualifications to become a trainee. Why not contact your local probation office, here is the website link: http://www.probation.homeoffice.gov.uk/output/page8.asp.
I would suggest phone up the probation service ask to speak to someone in HR and have a chat to them about getting into probation and what the job involves.
Also look in your local paper at jobs being advertised if you see one that looks interesting get more info, find out what experience and qualifications you need to do the job and that will help you work out a career plan.
Do email me at anytime and let me know how it goes.
Good luck.
Caroline One Space Career Coach
Hi Caroline
I am interested in finding out more about the financial/benefits for me if I were to return to work having been on Income Support and Child tax credits as I am a single mum of two children.
I want to be self employed working from home (I already have a business idea) but it seems that the Family Tax Credits are geared towards those who are going into employment with fixed working hours and salary. I have been told by the lone parent adviser at the local job centre that I have to work 16 hours as a minimum and earn minimum wage to be eligible for FTC. Self employment is not that accurate a science, I will have to have a period of time where I am building up customers and this poses all kinds of problems where benefits are concerned. Do you know of any schemes that could help me out of this dilemma?
Regards
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth
I would advise you to call the tax credit help line 0845 300 3900. It is not my experience that that you have to be working 16 piad hrs at minimum wage to claim tax credits as a self employed person, you could be working 16 hours setting your business up and not earning a lot to begin with. I have found the tax credit system to be supportive of single parents in self employment, in my experience they understand that you will not be working standard hours and will ask you to roughly calculate your income over the year. In fact you can ask to be put on a full award to begin with and estimate that you will not be making much money, this is not unusual when you set up a business to begin with, just be sure to let them know when you start to earn money and ask for your tax credits to be recalculated as your income goes up otherwise you will owe them money at the end of the year.
Working 16 hrs a week could mean working 16 hrs a week just setting a business up and doing business associated tasks, especially in the first six months. Ideally you would increase you actual paid hours and income over the first year. The Inland revenue considered you to be self employed as soon as start to advertise your services/ product not when you first earn money.
You can phone the helpline and get advice anonymously you don’t have to give them your details. I am surprised that the job centre did not offer you any support for setting up a business, they should be able to offer this.
The usefulness of lone parent advisers does vary some of them are really good but not all of them so don’t take their advice as gospel, in fact don’t take any advice as fact always check.
In some areas there maybe advice or support for helping people set up businesses. It is hard to advise as I don’t know where you are based but you could do a Google search for self employment support in your area and see what comes up.
Any way that’s heaps of info! Let me know how its goes. The first step as I said would be to talk to the tax credit help line I have always found them to be very understanding when I have been self employed and I hope you find them helpful as well.
Best Wishes
Caroline One Space Career Coach
Thanks for all that, I will let you know how I get on.
Thanks for your reply Caroline.
Sadly none of my interviews were successful even though they went well. In the meantime I have attended yet another compulsory lone parent interview at my local job centre. The lady I see was very sympathetic about my interview situation and tried very hard to see if there were any suitable jobs in their system - there weren't!
I've spent ages checking the local online job vacancies, also to no avail. The rotten thing is there are PLENTY of unpaid jobs out there but I really need money more than experience, plus I already have enough people to provide excellent references for me. To be honest I hadn't expected to get to this stage and still be unemployed in spite of my best efforts. It is all a bit demoralising.
To add insult to injury, the supermarket where I do my main shop has relocated and expanded with the creation of many new jobs - except I can't set foot in the place, even to shop, on account of the paint and sealant fumes from the new building :(
Hi Harissa
Sorry to hear that your interviews were not successful this time, it is really disappointing when you have tried your best but don't give up.
I wondered what kind of work you are looking for at the moment?
What experience do you have from volunteering?
Also do you know what type of environment would be best for you to work in considering your allergies?
Let me know and I’ll see if I can come up with any ideas.
Best Wishes
Caroline
Hello
Wonder if you can help me. I'm currently living in Hull (Yorkshire) with my 9 year old daughter but have a passion for London. I visit there regularly for weekend breaks and due to being made redundant last year, I would really like to move down to London whilst I have the opportunity. I have been looking on the internet for website which may be able to help with single parent relocating. I'm not sure of the right way to go about this.....I rang one recruitment agency who said I ideally need to be living in London before anyone employer would take my job application seriously. But I cant afford to move down to London without a job? So which do I do first? job or home? And how can I get a house down in London without a job? I'm confused as to where to even start with looking into this. I think now is the ideal time to move. Mainly because jobs up here are very limited at the moment, and if I am going to move I want it to be London. I dont like living up North and I think it would be easier to move my daughter now before she starts senior school then upheave her in a couple of years. Also with me having no family down south, I'm a bit concerned by additional help that may be available to me (i.e. child minders/nursery/clubs) while I would be working.
Any help or advice you may be able to give would be lovely.
Thanks x
I can't help, sorry, but just want to wish you good luck with your venture and hope that you move happily into a new life soon.
It is a chicken and egg situation really, little lady. I guess if you asked me to make a decision then I would say you need somewhere to live first and then get the job...but you need money to do that, so I would be saving up every week in a London fund, no matter how little, towards reaching my goal. What do you think?
Hi little lady, I agree with Louise, personally it seems easier to move, settle in and look for work. That means that you have a bit of time at home with your daughter while you job hunt and get to know the area.
What did you think about the house share with other single parents, that could be really useful, childcare, friendship, knowledge of local area??
Hi everyone
I am a regular lurker and now first time poster! Just wondering has anyone on OneSpace taken part in a New Deal training course offered by Seetec ( or similar providor).I have been on JSA for about 18 months and the course is mandatory my main question is how sympathetic are they to lone parents, as the course lasts for 10 weeks, 30 hours a week Im concerned about the school hols,inset days I am having to travel several miles to the course, fine in term time but in an area with no provision for over 12s I am very concerned, I certainly would not be leaving my child(14) for several hours
I would be very interested in your views or experiences about these schemes,strange that I am being forced on to this yet not able to take a college course which would have really helped me and was closer to home
Thanks in advance Kit
Hi Kittycat
Hope you will get a response from someone with personal experience of this. It does seem strange that they do not respect school holidays. There is very little care provision for secondary school children anywhere, as far as I can tell, having talked to parents across the country. It sounds as if you would be out for about eight hours a day and whilst you can make arrangements for odd days, the idea of a succession of days like this (in half term or the Easter hols) seems unreasonable to me.
Thanks Louise for your reply. I was disapointed not to get a response about this I feel it is going to be a major headache for single parents, any lone parent should be aware that they will be sent on a New Deal Training course once they have been unemployed for 18 months even if childcare is patchy or non existant and these courses are ongoing they are 30+ hours per week 9.30 to 4.30 I feel this will cause great anxiety as they expect you to find childcare for the younger kids and leave the older ones in the school holidays! I have no idea what home educators will do either, thank goodness I have found a part time job in the last week no great shakes but its peace of mind as very close to my home. I just cannot understand why the DWP will not let the lone parent unemployed take proper college courses during the day so we would be properly qualified and far more likely to obtain long term work phew rant over!
Personally I feel the government has reacted on media based, what I see as hostility towards lone-parents.
On the whole, the public don't need to think about the problems of others, and therefore won't be interested in anything supporting lone-parents. Basically, not giving a hoot as it doesn't affect their lives, and media potrays "us" as scroungers.
Then, of course, if you don't attend these courses you lose benefits - so as "we" rely on every penny we do get, "we" go.
I already have this guilt of being on benefits - I have, however, worked more or less full time for about 22 years ( I worked nights, and had to leave when I left The Git). I am classed as a carer for my 15 year old son too, so I'm not subjected to this. That actually also makes me feel bad, knowing that you are facing this.
Personally, I think its a disgrace. My oldest son is 19 and doesn't have issues, but, since the age of 15, boy has he needed me. I could not have supported him as I have had I been working.
I understand the political motivation for these courses but given they are for single parents they should be able to be fitted around the school terms, at the very least!!!
Hi there
Lone parents get so much flack from the media etc but I think we do a great job (a fantastic job actually) bringing up our kids! I do not think any lone parent would turn down a chance to train or work ,if the childcare was there (good quality) and it fitted round school hours and hols.Yet the New Deal course are mandatory with seemingly very little regard to the needs and concern of parents,yet they claim to be <helping and supporting lone parent> cant see that myself!
Sparkling, I know what you mean I hated taking benefit, even though I worked for many years going to sign on was dreadful tbh any job was better than that, but it has taken me 18 months to find something local pay less than JSA at the end of the day but I feel free
I guess while the media portray single parents as feckless, scrounging and workshy Vicki Pollards it takes the heat off the bankers,MPs who receive vast amounts of tax payers money, making the benefits budget a drop in the ocean! Oh gosh I have ranted on again! sorry but it makes my blood boil lol
And the premier football teams and players 
You're not ranting, I don't think, I feel the same. I just think lone-parents should be left alone at the mo while other things are sorted.
Wonder what this will mean for those of us who are signing on?
We had Working Links locally. My friend's husband knows how these 'businesses' work due to his job.
The were being paid a certain amount per 'customer' to get them into work. The less it cost them to get the 'customer' into work, the more money they were able to keep. It also meant that resources that could have been available were being held back.
This is why I personally don't like private businesses dealing with this. However much people may dislike civil servants, there was no underhand methods of making a profit to benefit a director's lifestyle.
As you say, the people who sit around that table really don't have any idea...
Im hopefully starting a volutary job as a drug and domestic violence support worker in my local family centre. I want to know what child care costs i can get help with as its only volutary work but its also going to be part of my work experiance while im training....its so confusing please someone help me!!!!!
Hello Lorna
Welcome!
Please do get in touch with our 1-2-1 Money Advice service (click on the blue link) as they will help you with this
Hi,
Im a young single mum trying to get back into work and finding it rediculously difficult. my daughters father doesn't want anything to do with her which makes things harder as I have to rely on my family for back up childcare.
I have been looking into joining the royal air force as an intelligence officer as i have always wanted to do it. I didnt want to go into the forces with a little one but dont see there being any other option as I simply cant find any work, despite having over 20 GCSES and 5 A levels. I just dont know how feasable it is going to be, and no one seems to be able to answer my questions!!!!
I guess I just need someone to point me in the right direction. Any help would be appreciated at the minute.
Thanks
hello mummy2jorjamae
You are welcome here.
As I understand it you are still in your teens and with a little one. Your ambition of the RAF career is exciting! What would you be intending about your child's arrangements, are your parents happy to have him fulltime?
Of course you can have a chat with an RAF careers specialist but that is not what you are really asking, is it? It sounds to me as if you want specific careers guidance, taking into account not only your qualifications but also the fact you are a mum.
I don't know if you have had any dealings with Next step, who will provide advice and guidance.
One thing I can thoroughly recommend is you can take our free online course called Ways Into Work as an initial step. It focuses you on what is actually out there on the market and helps you think about balancing the parent/worker role, so do give it a try as an initial step.
Hope this helps.
Hello there,
Just would like to know what you think. I've been doing a university course for a year now and struggling with the essay writing. As a tired mum with a uni thats too far to travel to the whole thing has made me overwhelmingly depressed. Now I'm considering do an English directed course for a year so I can return to study at uni in 2012. English courses for academic purposes run by the universities cost too much and any funding acquired for that through student finance means I'll loose a years finance for university when I return.If I do any level 4 or above courses at college I've been told student finance considers this the equivalent to a years worth of Higher Education study so I'd loose out in the end.
I also am looking at testing for dyslexia from the uni to rule that out too. Should I do a Celta course and perhaps a GCSE English or something. Should I bother getting anti-depressants from my doctor? I don't fancy getting hooked on chemicals? I'm more of a health bod. What are your thoughts?
Hello craigc
It sounds a bit worrying that you might lose your funding, and you need to discuss that with a careers specialist really. is there anyone at Uni that would be able to help? A pastoral person or a course advisor? You could talk things over with a Next Step advisor. You could also look at our Ways into Work section
I agree that having a dyslexia test sounds a good idea if you suspect that this might be a factor. As for the antidepressants, I recommend a chat with your GP, even if they think you should have anti depressants there is no obligation for you to agree and in fact the GP might suggest other things such as a talking therapy or local support group.
Good luck! I know it is tiring trying to take a qualification as well as run a family and another thing you could look at is whether there are any corners you could cut to make things a bit easier.
Hi Louise,
Thanks for your reply. I've started looking at funding organisations for my next steps and checking out the next steps advisors today.
I have a 1 year old son and a lone parent and finding it really hard to survive money wise as i rent a propety so i am wanting to go to college and university to finish my qualifications so i can get a nursing job and get off benefits and give my son the best i can but if i loose my housing benefit, income support, child benefit, child tax credit if i go back in to education i will not be able to afford to live so would i still get all my benefits while in education ?
Hello yummymummy1989
There are certain provisions made for some sectors and I think nursing may be one of them. Please click here and you can ask that question of our Money Expert!
Hi yummymummy1989, you might also be interested in our Grants for Adult Learners article too!
Hi Louise, I have been trying to get into teaching, however just when i became ready to do my Pgce I became ill with a stress related illness. I also get very depressed which is quite frightening. I am the sole mother of a 12 year old, and there is no one else at all to look after her. So my restrictions are term time working. However I would like to do my pgce in art and design since I have a degree in that as well as maths gcse and have kept up to date with courses and my portfolio is current. I am however worried about the stress factor in teaching and the fact that I have not worked since 2000, when I worked as an administrative assistant in periods when art projects were low. I am now a (young) 54 year old with a contemporary outlook. Do you have any advice on which way I should go with the above restrictions? I am currently receiving ESA until June next year, however pressure is mounting for me to look for work and I feel helpless.
Hello solnbroom
I haven't really got any "advice" as such as there are so many factors in what you say. One thing you could consider is going self employed but you need to think of "what skills have I got that people would pay for?" would you consider adult education? You need to ask at the Job Centre about grants to help new businesses, one of our other members had some information about this, and I think it depends on how long you have been out of work etc so worth asking about?
Hi again Solnbroom
I am currently doing a teaching qualification, the other members in my group vary in age from young 20 somethings to 60 somethings etc, so if that was something that was putting you off going into teaching i'd not let your age put you off.
You're correct in that teaching can be really stressful and if you're not in tip top shape it can be even more so. So you're right to consider this if you're health is not so good.
I wonder if you are getting any support for the stress and depression you mentioned?
Hi Caroline,
I really wish have a chance come back to work.I have two kids age 2 and 4.Oldest one is in school and the little one with me at home.I had chance go out from house and meet people and have something for myself.At the moment I am a student of The Open University,my plan is to do degree with mathematics.I just don't know where to find a part time job where I can use my studying.Plus I need remember how I organize my work and child care.
It's early days yet, kiniusia and doing anything else as well as caring for little ones is hard, whether it is studying or working so you it would be a massive achievement to do your course now, and then move on to a job later
My ex-partner mum told me to not worry about job because my kids most important at the moment.But my ex-partner asked how I feed my kids and pay bills.That why I want go to work,I need buy food,pay bills.
Hi Caroline,
I hope you can help me?
I'm a single mother to my three year old son. I'm currently looking to return to work and I have been offered a position. However I want to know whether or not it is viable. Childcare is going to cost in the region of £975 per month. I will be earning £23000 per year and would like to know if I am entitled to working tax credits or help with childcare?
I have twice been to the job centre to carry out a better off calculation but to no prevail becuase each time when I get the report home some of the figures used were incorrect. Ive also been online but most the calculators say something different. I really just need to know if I can get any working tax credits and how much, with my salary in mind.
Thanks
Jennifer
Hi there, unfortunately Caroline is no longer available to answer questions, however I have responded to your question in your other thread!
Hi Caroline,
Thanks for offering your services, I'm sure they will benefit many of us here!
With my skills, qualifications and experience, Ive had no problem in getting voluntary work and excellent references over the years. Unfortunately, I need a proper income to support myself and my son as we are now unable to survive financially on income support. Thanks to illness and being a full-time mum, I've been out of paid work for 19 years. I manage the household budget extremely well and we live very frugally, supplementing our diet from hedgerows and whatever edible grows in the garden (Not much as I'm not good at gardening). However, as winter approaches I have no idea how I'm going to be able to find the extra money to cover the increased cost of living.
I have been applying for jobs, even getting interviews and getting positive feedback - but still no paid job! Over the years I have attended courses to update my skills and qualifications but this hasn't got me anywhere either.
Most of the women round here find work as cleaners or lunchtime supervisors. I would not be able to do those jobs as I am chemically sensitive (following years of low-level carbon monoxide poisoning which has also left me permanently deaf in one ear and with a significant loss in the other). The chemical sensitivity is much more of an issue than the hearing impairment as it means I become ill in any environment with air fresheners, solvent/petrol fumes/bleach (no more swimming)/carpet cleaner, or even in a confined space with a person wearing certain aftershave (Lynx is the worst). It is not a medically recognised issue, so I have dificulty in being believed though other carbon monoxide victims have reported similar experiences.
The job search process is quite an undertaking. Before I can even request an application form, I tend to make an anonymous site visit to survey the environment and sometimes ask the caretaker what carpet cleaner is used. I had a particularly nasty reaction to fumes at the local secondary school and found that in the 10 years they had been using Greasebegone I was the only person to have reported a reaction. I gather, therefore, that my problem is quite unique.
While I am persevering with my voluntary work and job search, I am disappointed that not only has it got me nowhere but also that the economic situation is worsening. With the lowering of the child age limit at which a single parent is now pushed into working, I'm a bit scared to be honest. Could I soon be forced into a job which could harm me? Or could I be forced to give up my chosen intellectually-stimulating voluntary niches (in environments which don't make me sick) to work for free in a punitive back-to-work chain-gang type thing?
I am still waiting to find out if my last interview was successful. The interview went very well but with at least 100 others applying for a handful of very basic clerical jobs, the odds aren't good. I'm overqualified for a start. It is similar to an office job I had before which I worked hard at in spite of it being excruciatingly unchallenging and boring after the first 2 months. I stuck at that one for 2 years eventually leaving to have my children. I was very positive at the interview as I am keen to get back into any suitable paid work. My choices are already limited so it would be imprudent to get too fussy about job satisfaction at this stage. It WILL become an issue later but my main target at the moment is to get my foot on the ladder!
I already have a degree, an NVQ in supervisory management, up-to date administrative/computing qualifications, etc. Should I find a means of attempting to do a postgraduate course or would that just make me even more unemployable than I already appear to be? Is there any advice you could offer please? I would value a different perspective on all of this.