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I would assume I'm not the only one who has to take children to sign on during school holidays?
I have asked if we could claim back child bus fares (seeing as the job centre will reimburse us for out of pocket expenses for travel for appointments outside of normal sign in) I was told very abruptly "It doesn't work like that I'm afraid".
I was very angry but stayed 'calmish' and got told that it wasn't 'His fault'( him being the guy that was appointed to deal with me). I said "Excuse me, as single parents, we have concerns and issues and we should be able to raise them here, With YOU. where else can we do it"?
I have found on several ocassions when trying to raise concerns and obstacles we face they use the old classic line of "I'm not here to argue".
I'm not arguing, I just want somebody to LISTEN!
The ignorance and lack of care is shocking from Job centre staff in my experience.
I do everything they ask me, I attend all my appointments, attend interviews etc and when I find there is an issue I feel I need to speak out not just for my children and myself but for others too only I find I get shut down at every turn.
Why is it that every time I attend to sign on they keep me waiting about 20 minutes after my appointment time? I wouldn't mind if it was once in a while but it is every time and I look around to find there is usually about 4-5 staff members sat doing nothing, just wasting time calling out peoples names who haven't attended. When I was leaving today the guy asked me if there was anything I wanted to ask him, I said, "Yes, I ask that you please stick to your appointment system and don't keep me waiting" and I stressed that there were plenty of people that would like the jobs of some of those in there that can't be bothered to do theirs.
In return I got a half attempted smile, crossed with a sarcastic grin.
I should have been advised to do that at the job centre then , surely?
I even mentioned it to the 'Personal advisor' who I see once a month and they all say 'they understand' but they dont do anything.
If it is a general issue then they should apply the same rules as paying for out of pocket expenses for our appointments outside of normal sign on.
My lad hates going there at the best of times, I have to bribe him and promise to buy him something lol.
To be honest, they hate it when I'm in there now. It's almost like they don't want to deal with me.
I think they draw straws or something lol
Hi Hannah,
I take your point as it does not seem fair that you don't get reimbursed the out of pocket expenses for your children.
Do you see a lone parent advisor?
Hannah,
Your post made me so cross. Of course the Jobcentre or the Work Programme should pay your children's bus fares if you have to attend in the school holidays! The Jobcentre have the Flexible Support Fund. If they will not pay for your children's fares then they are putting you at a disadvantage to other jobs seekers who do not have children and that is discrimination. As a public body they have a duty to not discriminate. Stand up to them and if they wont listen I will raise directly with the Department for Work and Pensions.
In terms of appointment times do raise with the Jobcentre, especially if this has a knock on impact of picking up your children from school.
Laura
Sally - I did have an advisor but now I am on JSA , so, I sign on fortnightly and attend the work programme fortnightly too.
Laura - I am myself annoyed, I just feel like they have targetted me for some reason. I once got sanctioned because they said I hadn't applied for enough jobs which was fair enough but they told me I would be sanctioned for two weeks so I signed on again the next fortnight and when I went to the bank to draw out some money, it wasn't there. I went to jobcentre and they told me that the suspension lasts for a month.
I was angry as you could expect. I said "Why wasn't I told this"?
In all fairness they only had an issue with one week of my job searches, so, how can they justify sanctioning for a whole month?
I said, " You make it up as you go along".
Meanwhile I had to apply for a crisis loan and guess what?
They refused me and refused an appeal. Then they told me to use a food bank, I told them it doesn't really help as it doesn't pay the bills does it?
Luckily, my mum who has been a saviour to me give me some money to help me out.
The people who are behind all this are total idiots, they really are.
I will take it on the chin every time but, I will also give it back tenfold.
We need decent people to speak up on our behalf because we certainly wont acheive that by speaking to the media either.
Hannah,
I am so sorry to hear about your experience. As part of my work I am interviewing single parents experience of sanctions for a series of case studies. I can offer a £20 high street voucher for your time. Your personal details will not be shared and you can be known under a different name. Our charity have a good record of getting the voices heard of single parents to politicians and the media. If you are interested then do email me and I can arrange a time for us to speak on the phone.
Many thanks
Laura L.dewar@spanuk.org.uk
Hi, Laura
Thanks. I have added your email and I will contact you very soon.
Hannah40
Thank you. I look forward to hearing from you.
Laura
Regarding bus fares for work programme - My work programme appointment is on the same day as as my normal sign on and I purchase a day rider so, I can't really claim it back. I sign on in the morning and then I have to go back later on in afternoon to attend work programme which is not far from Jobcentre.
Hannah,
In terms of bus fares I just think it is important that fares are paid for children if they have to attend meetings with you in the holidays.
Laura
Hi Hannah40 and Laura,
I used to claim jobseekers allowance and have been on the work programme as a single parent. Dealing with the jobcentre and people at the work programme can be extreemly stressful but the most upsetting thing about it can be seeing it affect your children. I think it is wrong that they should be forced to attend even if their travelling expences are provided. These places are in my opinion not suitable for children.
I believe that conditions are now harsher than when I had to claim but I will explain how I dealt with this. It wasn't school holidays when I first had to attend the job centre but when they were approaching I asked if I had to bring my child with me to sign. I was told that I could but I explained that I wasn't asking permission but that I thought it wasn't suitable and that they may get upset by doing so. Anyone who has ever attended a jobcentre over a period of time will be aware that they do often have clients acting angry and aggresive. At the time the jobcentre I attended had a glass door that had recently been deliberately smashed by a client.
Also I was aware that my child would see me getting anxious and upset because some advisers were less pleasant than others and they all have to advise parents about things such as sanctions. I certainly didn't want my child to witness such things as it would lead to them being anxious and upset.
In addition during the holidays without any childcare I was the full time carer. If my child was in some form of day care I would expect them to be provided with suitable activities. There are regulations about such things. I thought my child deserved to be treated equally.
I said something like this at the jobcentre but was just told unless I had someone to leave my child with I would have to bring them with me in the school holidays. I was so angry however that I asked to appeal. In my appeal I just put all the reasons why I thought it was wrong.
I got a very quick response and was surprised and very pleased to be told that I would be excused from signing during the school holidays. For the entire duration of my claim (about 2 years) I didn't have to attend the jobcentre or the work programme during school holidays. All I did was remind them on my last visit and they marked it on my file and told me when to next attend after the holidays
Maybe the rules have become stricter? But even then unless you gave reasons why you thought it unsuitable for your child to attend they would have been forced to. IMO parents shouldn't have to ask because children shouldn't be expected to attend.
Best wishes Hannah40 and be stong!
Pam x
Thanks Pam, really helpful post!
Thanks Pam. If they excuse people from having to bring children for sign on during holidays then they should recognise it as a general issue and excuse all single parents. The rules are daft and we need to get them updated ASAP. I'm due to speak to Laura this week and another influential person next week, so, between them, I'm hoping for a resolve.
Pam and Hannah40
Thank you. I agree that children's well-being needs to be better protected at Jobcentres and at the Work Programme. This is something that I campaign about and where I have tried to get the Children's Commissioner involved. You might be interested in the report I wrote following interviews with single parents about the Work Programme (which also included their experience of the Jobcentre).
http://spanuk.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/finalwp-june140613-amended.pdf
Unfortunately, Jobcentres and the Work Programme have been given much more local discretion in how they deliver their work to 'clients'. This has included single parents being excused from signing on during the school holidays. So being able to not sign on during the school holidays is left up to the discretion of individual advisers. You will see from my interviews with single parents that one parent was excused from signings by the Jobcentre and then made to carry out activity over the summer holiday by the Work Programme and was threatened with a sanction.
As Hannah40 has pointed out she is being interviewed about her experiences for our charity's campaign work. You are also welcome to be interviewed about your experience of the Jobcentre and the Work Programme. I am particularly interested in when parents have been sanctioned and about what they are asked to agree to in their Jobseeking Agreements (to see whether these take account of parents responsibility to their children). I can offer a £20 high street voucher for your time (about 30 minutes on the phone). (L.dewar@spanuk.org.uk).
In the next few weeks I am also going to put what are called Parliamentary Questions to the Minister responsible for the DWP about children's well-being. A subject I keep wanting to remind them about. From April parents with children aged over 1 year of age will need to engage more with the Jobcentre.
Laura
The thing is Laura, these clowns have to defend their decisions. What is worse is that the decisions are being made by 'Men' who have probably never even looked after their own kids let alone been a single parent.
The media have been covering the welfare reform changes and what has changed? Nothing!
I'm not a feminist BTW but we all know the imbalance.
Regarding the sign on discretion, if my Advisor (s) don't like me then I guess I've had it. lol
I would love to speak to these parliament people myself. They need the whips cracked on their a***s!
Laura,
You are doing great work! Single parents who are having to deal with the job centre and work programme providers need others to speak out for them. As it is with no concrete rules or guidlines it is left to individuals to try and ensure fair treatment. It is particuarly shocking that there appears to be litte thought for how children will be affected with the constantly changing new rules. Sadly I'm not surprised because with the introduction of conditionality and harsh sanctions children will and are being deprived of basics like food and warmth. Those that have inroduced these rules must know this. Shocking! What kind of country have we become when some children are no longer entitled to protection.
Hannah40,
The media may cover some of the welfare reforms but not from the perspective of those that are affected by them. Disproportionatly women are affected. This is because they do the bulk of caring work. Most of the time they do it for free. Mothers make up the magority of single parents and bringing up a child alone is a difficult but important and valuable job. If it was a femanist world this job would be recognised as valuable. Now with these changes single parents are treated as if they are "workless" and that their important work is just an inconveniance. Ha ha! I bet you can tell I am a femanist... and a very bolshy one ;) But also my job as a mother makes me very protective of my children. After all they form part of my lifes work.
Hear Hear Pam, good point.
Hi Hannah40, as an aside, I think you may well be a feminist! A feminist is someone who thinks that women deserve the same rights, opportunities and responsibilities as men!
Pam - The media have covered many aspects, I have read it. It still hasnt changed anything.
Anna - There are different brands of feminism, some include men and some don't.
I don't like labelling but I see myself as an equalitist. When it is possible to do so.
Hopefully Laura's campaigning will bring about some changes
I'm so happy I've got a job now, not because I feel I've become a productive member of society with the ability to hold my head up high when in the presence of Mail readers, No! It's because I dont have to go to the Job Center anymore and deal with them and their ignorance of all things single parent.
: )
Is Laura around?
I received a write up on our discussion over the phone as she wanted me to make any neccessary amendments/edits before she did the final copy.
I checked through and amended as I needed to and sent it back to her via email but I got an automated reply that said 'She was on leave as of Jan 2nd. This year or next? lol That's some serious planning ahead!
I just want to make sure that she received my response.
Also, ask if Laura might want to check her email settings regarding automated reply.
Thanks
Hannah40
Not working today but yes did receive your email. My out of office response is a bit of nightmare as it lets me put in a new message and then reverts to an old one. I am not back in January but next Monday!
Laura
Laura
Thanks.
...
Hi JadeJoy,
thanks for the question. Would you mind posting it as an enquiry to one of our advisers, so they can answer it directly to you? If you go to this page, http://www.onespace.org.uk/ask-expert-money-advice, make sure you fill in your email address so you get the reply directly. Just paste the content and you'll get a reply.
Thanks for your reply, i have done as you said. Sorry i don't really know how the web site works.... All new to me.
Regards
Hi JadeJoy, you are welcome to ask questions here and we will ask the best we can, but if we aren't sure of the answer we suggest that you contact one of our experts.
Let us know if you get a useful response to your question.
If I remember correctly there's been a similar thread started a while back, so your not the only one.
bus fares are expensinow its £8 a week for me to take my children to contact once a week,
can you put your concerns in writing? Then they have to reply?