Poorly little lady and a Work Focused Interview...

Since Monday Lillie has been feeling under the weather again. She hasnt managed to get completely over this on/off cold, which has now developed into a chesty cough. Not only did it keep her awake Monday night, but caused her to have an upset tummy & sickness up until 8am yesterday. Thankfully the cough medicine has kicked in, so she slept relatively well last night and does look brighter this morning. She is hoping to be able to go to Girls' Brigade tomorrow evening, but we have discussed that if she has a bad night tonight then we will have to reconsider.

Returning to last Monday, I had to attend a Work Focused Interview at the job centre. This being the second one this year. These interviews occur every six months because the government have planned to move single parents off Income Support & on to Job Seekers' Allowance. The intention is that they progress in to employment asap, once their youngest child reaches the age of 7. This may work well enough for many single parents who send their child/ren to school and intend to move straight in to work/training. However, this is not the case for single parents opting to educate their own child/ren at home. The worse case scenerio is that many may lose their benefit altogether. What then? Do they survive the best they can on less money & continue HE? Do they find a way to work from home so they can continue HE? Or do they place their child/ren in school, so they can satisfy the government's intention to save money by going out to work? Though I do have to wonder how much I have already saved the government financially these past 14 months with not placing my daughter into a state school?

The first meeting back in May went smoothly, the advisor was very respectful & supportive to the fact that I am a full time Home Educating mum, as well as being an OU student with solid career plans for her future. There was no requirement or relevance to discuss previous education/employment history or to discuss any alternatives for my getting back into work because I have a plan. However, I did mention that I would like the opportunity to earn at home until the time comes when I am able to start my Nurse training. Therefore, had been considering becoming a childminder to the over 7's, with the hope of starting by autumn 2010. The advisor was very satisfied with my plans. She even joked that she wished all her clients were as focused as me. And off I went on my happy way...

Monday's meeting did not go as well. Firstly, I saw a different advisor. I thought this displayed a lack of continuity. Secondly, my details were already on the computer. So, I stated immediately that my situation & plans for the future had not changed in the last six months. Thirdly, I thought that would be the end of it for the next six months, if necessary. How wrong was I? This advisor wanted to know why I was Home Educating my daughter? My personal preference. Does my daughter have regular contact with her Dad? Yes. Why had I chosen to start a Creative Writing course, seeing as I had indicated at the previous interview my intention of becoming a nurse? Im studying for an Open Degree, which I stated back then. What is my educational/employment history? Not relevent to my present situation or my plans for the future. Why am I not aiming for a Nursing Degree instead? I do not want one. She went on & on with such intrusive questions. Then I asked the advisor a question. Is there any reference of my considering childminding on the computer? The advisor's reply was a 'yes' before attempting to go off on the questions route again. I interrupted her, I have no intentions of changing my plans. I have met the requirements of the interview. Is that it?

I guess she found me rude & unwilling to cooperate. She would be right if this was the case. I wasnt appearing on 'This Is Your Life' with Eamon Andrews. It was a Work Focused Interview. An interview that I had sat through six months ago. My situation has not changed. Therefore, I still satisy the requirements for my currently claiming Income Support. Such irrelevent questions were a waste of time, resources & money. And there was me thinking the government's vision is to save time, resources & money. Sounds like a contradiction to me judging by the experience I had last Monday.