trying to get work as single parent
Just looking for advise and if anyone else is finding it hard to get work ?
im single mum of 2 yr old son and trying to get into paid work , im finding this extreamly difficult as i am a single mum in every sense of word i have no support, so can only work certin days and hours providing i can find a nursery .. i have been sending of application after aplication trying to get any job but dont even get any feedback or a offer for interview i been sending off cv's applications for 9 mths now . i dont know if its cause i a single mum or because i have huge gap in employment . i do have qualifications a diploma in art and i am currently doing a certificate in helath and scoial care to improve my employbility, plus my degree in psychology with the open uni .so i am trying my best to improve my job prospects . but how cani get job if i not even having my applications acknolaged.. im feeling very dishearted and my loan parent advisor is not much help i told her situation and she basicaly had no advise for my. i feel like giving up on the whole trying improve my situation but can t as i dont want to be on benifits , sorry for rant but its proving so difficult to get foot in door . so was wondering if anyone has any advise or if anyone else finding it difficult ?
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Send to friendHi Louise
thanks for the advise .. i have started the ways into work module . and will definatly be looking at the CV one as i think i might not be marketing my self to well when i apply for jobs too .
i would like to do voluntary work , do you know if you can get help with child care cost if you volunteering ?
thank you
rachel
It depends on the organisation you volunteer for; they all offer some sort of expenses, you would need to mention that when you apply 
Hi, I noticed that you said that you didn't know if you weren't getting feedback or interviews because you are a single parent. Does this mean that you tell them that you are a single parent in your application and/or CV?
Prospective employers do not have a right to know, and aren't allowed to ask if you are a single parent. They are not allowed to use it against you, but they do. I was turned down for a job at interview because they were afraid that I couldn't juggle the job and school holidays. Then an advisor told me that I didn't have to tell them I was a single parent and they weren't allowed to ask me. After I heard this I was very careful to avoid giving this information. My current employer didn't know I was a single parent until after they employed me, and I have proved that school holidays and getting my kids to school has not affected my ability to do the job.
Good luck, I hope something turns up for you soon.
Hi Rosedragon! Nice to see you again, did you have a good summer?
You are absolutely right, employers do not have the right to know about your personal circumstances it is none of their business, so well done for keeping it under your hat.
How are you enjoying your job?
I agree it can be difficult for you to take the first step, and you are already doing one of the things I would suggest, which is to brush up on any qualifications you might need.
Another thing you can do is some voluntary work to get a recent reference, see here for information about how to find this and the way forward,
You might also like to look at our free Online Learning courses which include help with building your CV and Ways into work module to help you focus on what you might want to do.
Hope this helps, let us know what you think!