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Should lone parents be forced to work?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Saw this bought up again today - was very interesting to see views from lots of sides. Anyway - i don't think there's a story in the bbc atm but what do you guys think? Should lone parents be forced to work?
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Didn't Morgan Sperlock or Michael Moore (can't remember who) did a small feature during one of their films of single parents in the US having to work, and the effect it had on them and their children?
Yeah Michael Moore did a bit about the "Welfare to Work" scheme in the US in Bowling for Columbine. That was a pretty extreme case of this policy though, IIRC it subsidized long haul bus journeys to work in minimum wage jobs, travelling for hours to work for a pittance that would not even sustain the household. The case he highlighted was a single mother who was forced to work two such jobs, but was evicted because she couldn't pay her rent. She had to leave her 6 year old son at her brothers house, and whilst she was on the bus to one of her jobs he found his uncles gun, took it to school, and shot a 6 year old girl.
Congrats to your mum btw
True, but at least they have each other's mutual support, and probably that of two sets of grandparents (and other extended family members as well).
Ballerina, do you know if the basis of the story is that if lone parents don't work, it's assumed that they'd be claiming benefits or something? I'd imagine that would be the case if it was on BBCs 'Have your Say' webpage.
Not in a lot of cases. Very few families now get much support from their extended family. We only have one set of grandparents who are in another country so are neither use nor ornament when it comes to my parents working, and I'm pretty sure that applies to a lot of people.
What should be a more feasible option for single parents is being able to work in a reasonable part time job without disqualifying themselves from all support.
chances are that they are though
Over the age of 5 parents should be encouraged to work, by properly remunerating them for their labours- an increase in the minimum wage from its current offensive level wouldn't go amiss. Of course "encouragement" normally means cutting benefits, which is a fucking disgrace, because the Government are too busy siphoning money from the poor to pay for the rich because the rich give good back-handers and the poor don't.
lady i work with doe the job we do, cause it is school hours (technician) at the secondary school opposite her kids primary
Look at how often schools have holidays, its every other week. They have just had a week off and I think they are off for another 2 weeks end of March. Then you have May hols and then the 6 weeks hols so if you dont have family to help your wage aint gonna cover childcare.
I feel sorry for lone parents who want to work but they would be worse off if they did. I dont think its right to force lone parents to work but maybe put more money into affordable childcare. I dont have to pay for childcare but have a friend that does and she is hating the thought of the 6 weeks hols, she is gonna be a lot worse off as she has no family to help her.
Im not saying there are NO jobs that fit in with school hours, but that theyre not exactly abundant.
A lot of two parent families find it hard to juggle childcare too. Most employers arent as flexible as they could/should be and a lot would just rather employ people without children because what is a single parent going to do if her childminder is sick one day - the mother has to take the day off. Nurseries may be more relaible but not very many people can afford them unless its a damn well paid job. Even a childminder is likely to be around £4 or £5 an hour if not more, and thats the cheapest childcare you can get. If someone is working in a supermarket - how much money have they got left over after childcare is taken out? Even with working families tax credit helping with SOME childcare costs - that doesnt apply after the child is at school I believe.
This is true.
My mum's a single parent to me. She used to have to take 2 half hour bus journeys in the morning and the evening every day to get me to a child minder. And she was only £20 better off at the end of the week with childcare and travelling fees.
I'm sure I read somewhere (probably in the nursery I do my work placement at) that it's possible get funding or grants or some sort of help with child care - can't remember though.
At the nursery I do my placement at, there's children (and a few babies I think) that are there until 5.30 and that's just so that the parents can work and can afford to send their child off to nursery whilst they earn money.
Personally I think that lone parents should be encouraged and helped in finding work, but they shouldn't be forced into it.
Agreed
What is the current minimum wage?
With regards to cutting benifits, can't someone work a certain amount of hours not to get them cut? Or is it that they have to earn under a certain amount of money?
For single parents it often ends up that most of what you earn from the extra work is swallowed by the amount of money that is deducted from benefits, and the rest is swallowed by the extra travelling costs.
There are flexible jobs about, but they rarely pay much more than minimum wage.
James goes to a cheapish nursery and we get some childcare costs help through tax credits however, it works out i am not earning much really.
But to be honest, its enough to just ease things just a little bit.
If i was single theres no way i would be able to afford to work. Which i think is a shame for people who want to work part time but are no better off.
There is a thread on this in P&D I think.
Despite the fact that not every single woman out there would want to have children at a certain age.
If you are a single parent you could be expected to find work when your child turns eleven, if you don't they are thinking of cutting your benefits.
at eleven i really do think single parents should be made to work, even if its just part time, they have it job free for eleven years surly its time they start to put something back into the country that has surrported them and there child?
Maybe I'm biased as my Mum always worked and I learned to be independent and let myself in, cook basic meals and just generally look after myself.
But I don't see why the state should pay for a mum of a 15-year-old kid to stay at home. Obviously with younger children there is more need, they can't be left alone. I generally support the idea but workplaces should be better with job-sharing/flexible hours/maybe childcare, to make the idea more viable.