Lone parents wants skills - not forced courses

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12/06/08 Responding to the Government’s announcement today that it will consult on compelling lone parents to take part in training, single parent charity One Parent Families|Gingerbread criticised the Government’s approach, and said it was giving out mixed messages to parents.

Chief Executive of the charity Fiona Weir said:

“Lone parents have been telling us for years that they are desperate for more help to develop their skills, but compelling them to take part in courses decreed by the Jobcentre is the wrong approach. Jobcentre plus- funded courses are often of poor quality, and are rarely arranged to fit in with childcare responsibilities.

“What’s more, at the same time as the Government is exhorting one group of lone parents to ‘better themselves’, it is making it far more difficult for those with older children to take up educational opportunities. If the Government goes ahead with plans to force lone parents with children over seven to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance, thousands of parents will lose the chance to take part in full time education, which is prohibited by current benefit rules. Rather than ordering parents to take up training, Government should be looking at how to make training more accessible for parents, and removing rigid benefit restrictions which make it impossible for them to fulfil their ambitions.”

Notes to editors:

‘World Skills’ published today, announces plans to consult on whether to make it compulsory for lone parents on Income Support to take up training recommended by an adviser.

Government has announced that it wants lone parents whose youngest child is aged 7 or over to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance and look for work by 2010. this will apply to those with children over 12 from November of this year.

Under the Jobseeker’s Allowance rules, claimants are forbidden from undertaking full time training, such as access courses for university.

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