ࡱ> M bjbj== WWl4444444d    4C`!,"hCCCCCCC$uE G>C4""">Ch'44SCh'h'h'"44Ch'"Ch'h',n>44@ putK Z$L@ @iC0Cl@ sI'XsI@h'4444BREAKING BARRIERS Poverty, Child care and mothers transitions to work Gill Scott, Morag Gillespie ,Sue Innes The Scottish Poverty Information Unit provides an information and research service on poverty in Scotland to those working in the anti-poverty field, in order to enable organisations and groups to combat poverty more effectively. The Unit has a commitment to work with others to tackle poverty by: providing accurate and accessible information on poverty and social exclusion in Scotland; delivering research expertise to communities; supporting interest in, and debate and discussion on poverty and poverty-related issues; disseminating information as widely as possible. Rosemount Lifelong Learning is a community managed charitable organisation providing childcare and training for women wishing to return to the labour market. It aims to reduce poverty by providing high quality childcare and increasing lifelong learning opportunities in an approachable and supportive community setting. Rosemounts services include pre-five childcare, pre-school education, after-school care, literacy, pre-vocational and vocational courses, adult education and leisure classes, computer access, parents groups, asylum seeker support and integration groups, guidance, aftercare and volunteering. Rosemount operates from two centres in Royston, a very disadvantaged area within the North Glasgow Social Inclusion Partnership. Published by Rosemount Lifelong Learning in association with the Scottish Poverty Information Unit Copyright: Scottish Poverty Information Unit/ Rosemount Lifelong Learning 2003 ISBN 1-903661-45-5 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION TRANSITIONS AND CARE POVERTY AND TRANSITIONS CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Introduction The European Commissions social policy agenda of social and economic inclusion, full employment and quality of work recognises the need to address the structure of the labour market and improve access to paid work for all social groups. It has a specific aim of increasing women in work to more than 60% by 2010 (European Commission, 2000). In Scotland the level of employment amongst women has risen from just over half in 1984 to 66.9 per cent in 2000 (Scottish Executive, 2002a, p 46). The employment rate for men and women in Glasgow, however, still remains significantly below the Scottish average. For women it is considerably lower than the national rate at 59.6 per cent and within the city itself employment rates vary significantly. Royston, where this study is located, is the tenth most employment deprived area in Scotland (Social Disadvantage Research Centre, 2003). Within Scotlands Social Justice programme, and the European Commissions Objective 3 programme, lifelong learning and employment related training are seen as means to redress such social and economic exclusion. For women, and for lone parents in particular this has resulted in a variety of reform measures that appear to promise greater access to the financial and social assets they need for sustainable livelihoods. Childcare and training in particular are seen as best delivered in the communities where children and their mothers live, and have constituted important elements of urban regeneration policy. Delivering local solutions to local problems has been a mantra embraced by European, UK and Scottish administrations. Social Inclusion Partnerships in Scotland and Neighbourhood Renewal Areas in England and Wales, for example, are designed to tackle physical, economic and social decay in areas of high unemployment, low income, poor health and educational underachievement. They were announced as policy in 1998, are based on ideas of partnership between mainstream agencies, but draw heavily on European money for area renewal. North Glasgow, where Royston is located was designated as an area for regeneration in 1999 making it one of the 45 Scottish Social Inclusion Partnership areas where such focused, community-based activities/ projects have been developed. Rosemount Lifelong Learning Centre (RLL) is a childcare and training project based in the North Glasgow Social Inclusion Partnership area. It receives funding under Objective 3, Priority 5.2 of the European Social Fund as a Demonstration Project that involves analysis of the factors and processes that affect its activities, successes and failures, in order to inform local and European policy promoting a gender-sensitive approach to economic development (Innes and Scott, 2002). As a community based project of ten years experience it holds considerable potential for providing insight into how barriers to work cited by lone mothers in other studies (Millar and Ridge, 2002) are experienced at local level. Early evaluations of RLL (ARC, 2000) had evidenced considerable success in developing self confidence, skills and increasing motivation for employment. However key barriers to employment and further training remained: family circumstances and lack of affordable childcare; the cost of transition and the lack of money when entering training; and the health of family members and women themselves. A three year collaborative research programme between the Scottish Poverty Information Unit, the Centre for Research into Families and Relationships and RLL is examining these factors in more depth. The first two reports are summarised here. Women, Care and Transitions (Innes and Scott 2002) addressed family circumstances and childcare and examined the extent to which mothers are able to make use of informal care during the transitions they make as they use a project such as RLL and the choices they felt they were having to make. Women, Poverty and Transitions to work (Gillespie and Scott 2002) considers the financial issues in the movement into further education and employment and examines how access to impartial and helpful information can affect the financial risks and benefits of transitions. The importance of understanding how care and financial issues, and worries about them, can affect the transition to work or education is highlighted by studies which suggest that work does not automatically pay, particularly when there are children to be cared for. Studies of poverty dynamics have found that changing the source of income to work or student loan may not produce greater stability and adequacy of income (Jenkins & Rigg 2001; Kempson et al, 1994). Recent changes to financial support and in-work benefits delivered through a new tax regime mean the financial decisions necessary to make the transition from welfare benefits to education and employment are becoming ever more complex, but we know little about how they are experienced by households making the move, or how community based, individually focused services can support individuals making an initial transition into employment or education. It also appears that we know little about the personal benefits and costs of care involved in transition. It may be that much welfare to work policy is based on an over-simplified notion of the relationships, resources and infrastructure that immediate and wider families use to provide unpaid care. Informal care, received and given, is an important resource and cost that may affect working mothers as much as formal childcare when they return to study or work. Care plays a vital role as an input to the economy (Himmelweit1997). If insufficient time and resources are devoted to it, productivity may well suffer as human resources deteriorate and the social fabric is inadequately maintained. Unless we know more about the nature of care and its relationship to changing patterns of employment in low income households there is a danger that an effective work/family or work/life balance will not be achieved in our society (Lewis 2001b, Scott, G. & McKay, A. (2002)). The report which follows examines how care and financial issues impact on the process of transition and also shows, for what may be the first time, how strategies developed at national level have been experienced by families within a specific locality and how community based resources such as Rosemount Lifelong Learning can affect the impact of those policies. The research into care involved several methods of data collection : focus groups with trainees at the beginning and end of their first year of training or employment; two indepth interview with 12 current or former trainees; data from a two week care diary entered by interviewees. It was designed to explore three issues: The nature of the life-course transitions that take place in a community-based, family focussed training initiative. The nature of care provided by participants and perceptions of change with involvement in training or employment. The practical obstacles, personal dilemmas and social pressures affecting participants use of alternative care, particularly informal care. The research into financial barriers involved several methods of data collection: a telephone questionnaire to current or former students or service users at RLL; focus groups involving 12 of the women; interviews with key project staff; contextual information from government and local reports. It was designed to explore three issues: Former students experiences of financial issues in making the transition from welfare to education or work; The reality and awareness of in-work benefits and other financial support in informing decisions about such transitions; and The role of information and advice services in informing and affecting decisions in the transition period. Transitions and Care Making transitions Although all participants in the study stated that they had benefited from attending the centre, why they first attended it, what they had gained and what they did after leaving was variable. A number of the women said they found initial steps into training had been difficult to take. Their decisions to become trainees at RLL were not solely related to work intentions, but often represented intentions to do something with their lives. The availability of training and childcare at the Centre was felt to allow them to consider their childrens as well as their own ambitions to improve their own and their familys long term prospects.. W: It was kinna half and half. Half because I was fed up in the house [pause] just driving me mad. I wanted to do something different. And I also wanted somewhere for K, like nursery. This emphasises that the model of a progressive transition or return, from caring for children at home to entry-level training and on to employment or further education can be misleading. Transitions to, within and from RLL are affected by a range of factors and variable, for different women and according to their different circumstances. Maternity can itself be a catalyst to learning and to exploring options. Problems do not occur because participants do not want or resist changes in their role. They are actively seeking change, but change that is without detrimental consequences for their children. A number of those researched chose to stay at home until their children were older, after experience of combining care with further education, concluding that it was important for them to care full-time for their children at this time, and that the stress of full-time further education had placed too many strains on their family life. Others in the group were keen to find employment or further education that would fit with school hours and did not necessitate after-school care. Those choices were presented as a consequence of attending the centre. The study suggests the need to question paid work as the main route out of poverty for women who have considerable care responsibilities. The women in the study who had achieved employment that was manageable in relation to care found it beneficial in a number of ways, for themselves and their children. However, the majority of the group concluded that further education was the most manageable next step to combine with care for young children, provided formal childcare to support that was available. They envisaged returning to paid employment after further training, possibly once their children were in school. Greater practical understanding of the needs of parents of young children by further education providers, and possibly more community-based provision, would facilitate that. RLLs capacity to recognise and respond to needs of women from low-income households and with considerable care responsibilities and to be flexible, despite constraints, is a strength, particularly because of previous poor educational experiences or health problems within its target groups. Lessons from its experience could be beneficial to other training providers and colleges. Although the women in this research were critical of Government policies, their stated goals were not out of line with policies to encourage mothers in low-income families to take up employment. Participants were aware of social expectations of (low-income and single) mothers and criticised that pressure but those expectations were, nevertheless, close to what they themselves wanted. They saw paid employment or employment after further education as a positive aim, a route that they believed would bring them rewards, or in some cases had done so, and saw that as consistent with the value they place on care and maternity and of value to their families. Despite the congruence between the aims of most of the women in the study and policy objectives, all of the womens differing experiences showed how difficult it is for them to carry out plans because of the lack of fit between paid employment and care in our society. Care-giving Care needs in families are complex and changing, according to circumstances and as children grow.They also include care for adult dependants. A too strongly drawn distinction between types of care can create a false picture of the multi-faceted role of care in womens lives. In this study where the mother was not sole carer she was (with one exception) the main carer and in every case she was the default carer, in that if other care was not available she would have no choice other than to give up whatever else she had planned or was committed to in order to care for the child. That awareness conditioned participants sense of what was possible for them. Although there was no simple model of change in the care received from and given to other family members that could be related to the transitions to training and employment the women are making the possible impact of such changes on care relationships should not be overlooked. The research confirms the need for detailed attention to the experience and daily routines of care-givers if the social and economic value of care is to be fully recognised in policy. The participants lives were organised primarily around their childrens need for care and substituting for much of what they do is not as straightforward as policies on formal care suggest. The study, as others do, demonstrates the essential contribution of social care, in disadvantaged communities and more generally. As this study also shows, womens lives are experienced and managed less as individuals, on the classic economist model, but as connected, situated within and at the centre of care relationships that are essential to family and community well-being. Participants accounts of care in their lives emphasised that care is not simply a barrier to other activities, although discussion of transitions to employment and equality of opportunity often situates it as such. The ARC survey at RLL (ARC 2000) found that family responsibilities were the main barrier to progress to the labour market. That was confirmed by this study, which, however, also shows that caring for children is experienced not as a problem but as a value and part of womens identity. The study emphasises a familiar paradox, that care is both socially and individually important but its value is commonly overlooked, even by care-givers, and in practice is little valued. Practical obstacles, personal dilemmas and social pressures In considering what they might move on to after a period at RLL the barriers identified by the women were: childcare time and energy (and timing) money social pressures family support/partners support (or not) Finding the time to fit in demands of caring, training and work when there were few resources with which to reduce the demands of caring was a major issue for many women. Social pressures from society and immediate family and friends were felt to act as both barriers and impetus for change. At times women felt that they were expected to be both wonder mum or wonder worker. Their experience was often that they were trying to be both. It is clear from the research that the effort entailed in making effective transitions into formal education or training after RLL is significant and should not be underestimated. For some the benefit of working, when caring can be managed is worth it. For others a more long term approach is needed. It affects decisions about balances between family and other activities, and also about timing of change. I have got where I want tae be, just now. I dae want tae go further - that's that decision on trainin an dae I want tae dae it, dae I no want tae dae it, can I fit it in? . maybe it'll have tae wait till maybe she's a bit older and in high school... Availability of formal care was seen as a major way to ease such effort and RLL was valued highly for the integration of good quality care where the needs of children were a priority alongside good quality training and support. However the weakness of a wider neighbourhood formal care strategy meant that moving on for mothers meant a discontinuity, and often reduction of quality care for children. The importance of the family-based care economy is confirmed by this study, however it also highlights the complexities of managing and retaining such support. Although informal care by other family members was highly valued by participants, it was not available to all, and where it was available was vulnerable to changes in family relationships, to the health and willingness of grandparents and siblings, and to other factors. Policy and research has tended to present formal and informal care as alternatives. This study shows that it is necessary to consider formal and informal care together and to map the complementary relationship. Commonly both are needed if parents are to make successful transitions to sustainable employment. Depending on informal care to cover hours of employment was considered problematic, although informal care in support of formal (nursery) provision was seen as very helpful. It is important to note that present child care subsidies as part of in-work benefits do not maintain this important dimension of care and child benefit is currently set too low to support routinised informal care. Informal resources for care should not be taken for granted. Because of the importance of informal care and womens family roles, the well-being of women themselves, of other family members and of communities can be compromised if too many demands are placed on mothers, who are commonly at the centre of networks of social care. It is important not to over-stretch informal resources that can be essential to low-income households. Informal care, although valued, has costs and can be conditional on time and effort in managing it and on maintaining reciprocity of care. Emotional ties can be a source of support but can also create difficulties and discourage women from pursuing goals beyond the family. Because of that some women need a reason that is accepted as legitimate to limit demands for care by other family members or an opportunity to deal with difficult issues in the family. Care and choice Not all women involved in the research had achieved a successful transition to employment or further education leading to employment nor did all choose to go onto further education or employment after the training period. Nevertheless participants saw the confidence to make the right choice as an outcome of attending the centre. Increased confidence was the most commonly cited benefit and is not separable from a number of the other benefits, particularly the discovery of abilities. Comments included: I didnae believe I couldve done a lot o it an I surprised masel. I found Id actually got a brain in ma heid right up to then I thought I was useless. The experience of the course was contrasted to the experience of caring for young children and was important in regaining a sense of individual identity: Escape from everything else - its like you can escape and come here and its just you. And Im enjoying it. Ive no been me for like nine years. Ive been As mum or Ks mum. Its like you lose your identity, youre just somebodys mum. Discovery of abilities was linked to exploring wider horizons. Training, especially because of its personal development component, offered a chance to think about life and possibilities. Mothers decisions about employment and childcare have been reported as not generally experienced as choices but as constraints and mothers of young children have been described said to be resistant to thinking about the future. (Himmelweit 2001) That was not the case with the women in the study, who discussed the availability of childcare and other issues as constraints on what was possible but nevertheless talked in terms of choices and opportunity. Several expressed positive feelings about thinking and planning for their and their familys future. Going on to further education (the preferred next step of most of the women in the group) was a choice that would not have been considered before attending the centre: Before I wouldnaeve even entertained going to college thought och thats a waste o time, what do people want to go there for? Whereas now Im quite looking forward itll be good. The womens discovery of learning and wider sense of possibilities was considered to be beneficial to their children. Several said it would be a good example, encouraging their children to stay on at school and be more ambitious, especially as they were living in an area with low staying-on rates and high youth unemployment. Now that I can see what it can do for me, I can see what it can do for him [her son]. It could make him have the things that I never had, the opportunities The overall findings from the study suggest that care constraints do restrict the options for women wishing to move from benefits to work. The reality of managing the care of more than one child, of balancing informal and formal care without great increases or integration of resources is a major problem for those on low incomes and the move to routinised work or education leads in some cases to a loss of informal support. These complexities plus the cost of formal care makes it difficult to plan future education and employment effectively, and lead us to conclude that transitions are not the linear, unbroken development that policy suggests. Models of welfare to work tend to oversimplify these stages of transition and the measures of success of training programmes. In evaluating outcomes it is important to fully include other gains valued by participant. Poverty and Transitions Financial Barriers to Further Education and Employment The research showed that for women trying to make the transition from benefits to work financial issues were highly significant barriers, particularly concerns about benefit delays. For most of the women in the research, benefits were a significant source of income with income support identified as a major income and only one had received help with childcare costs through the Childcare Tax Credit. The continuing importance of benefits to the women involved in this study highlights the very real barriers for women trying to make the transition away from benefits dependency.The continuing importance of benefits to the women involved in this study, and the significance of financial barriers for them in trying to make the transition away from benefits dependency reinforce the need to examine the difficulties that similar groups of women have experienced elsewhere (for example, see Dean and Shah, 2002). Whilst benefit issues were considered to be major problem money management and debt were considered to be less significant barriers and several women thought their money management was very good as a result of living on a low income. Money management problems, however, varied according to family characteristics. It was, for example, a more significant problem for lone parents than it was for women who were married or with a partner and was the most challenging issue for those whose youngest child was aged 5 to 9 years compared to those with younger children and those whose youngest child was aged 10 or more. Where education was considered as an exit route from RLL training, part-time education was seen to have financial benefits over full-time courses. This was because income support could be retained. However, it was identified as a compromise, particularly when classes were in the evening: Thats a problem because Ive got to find somebody to watch C at night. I have been getting that, but Im going out at tea time and Im not getting in to put him down to bed, two nights a week. The full-time course would have been ideal - it was four full days, but it just wasnt working out for me financially, so I had to go part-time. I dont like part-time and I will be lucky if I can stick it because I cant cope with going out at 5 oclock at night. A further issue for students, including those remaining on Income Support, was that childcare provision, particularly for pre-school children, could be expensive and, in some cases, was likely to exceed the childcare grant available for some courses. Some current students were still unsure about whether they would be given financial support for childcare several weeks after courses had begun. Delays in decisions about grants had created a lot of uncertainty for some of students at the start of further education courses One woman saw accessing further education as something of a lottery: It depends who you come up against in the college. If youve got a good course leader, theyll just swing it. Financial issues were not the only problems identified in the transition to further education.. The availability of affordable nurseries, breakfast clubs and after school care was important for the women in managing their time, but the timing of further education courses, particularly if combined with travel time, created difficulties and extra costs in achieving attendance. For some there were rigid hours of attendance that were similar to compulsory schooling. Despite the difficulties more than half the women had gone on to further education although guidance and advice staff highlighted the need for colleges to look beyond expanding affordable childcare provision if the aim of wider access was to be achieved. The financial support for formal child care was welcomed by those entering work as well as further education, but the neglected cost of informal childcare remained a problem for both groups of women insofar as it was key to their ability to manage their time, and was compounded by the limited availability and hours of formal childcare Where women had entered or considered employment after RLLthe delays experienced and anticipated in claiming WFTC combined with the lack of complete information about benefits rights often created a major barrier to taking paid work. There was also confusion about support during the transition period, particularly help with rent, which was a key concern for the women: The consequences of incomplete information in this case was a decision not to take the job. This example reinforces the need for full, accurate and timeous advice during the transition to work period was reinforced by staff providing advice and support: In the care research we identified the desire of former students to progress to education and work, with the aim of improved financial circumstances. Despite the pressures on mothers of young children, a strong work ethic was expressed. In researching financial issues we found this was tempered by concerns about financial security and worries about being worse off financially. There was an awareness of the extra costs of working and a perception that the local labour market would offer little more than the minimum wage for a lot of jobs: somebody came in and did a benefits check. For me to do a job at 20 hours a week at 4.10, basically I was making about 30 and that was before Id paid for school meals or childcare or anything. From their own experience and that of colleagues and friends, the women identified several recognised financial issues such as: the lack of assistance with informal childcare; travel costs; paying for rent, council tax and fuel bills and loss of benefits and concessions such as free school meals and free prescription charges. However additional costs were also identified that are often ignored when the financial benefits of working are considered, including: high repayment demands from creditors on starting work; packed lunches; snacks and meals for themselves at work; school clothing; clothing for work; paying in to worksheets (e.g. when someone leaves). These can mean that the gains from being in work can be further eroded. Those who were in work were evenly split about whether they were financially better off working, including those who were receiving WFTC. Of some concern was the fact that most of those in employment were not doing work that was related to their training or interests and there was little confidence that the local labour market would provide pay rates above the minimum wage. More than a third of the women were doing voluntary or community work. However, even voluntary activity was restricted if childcare costs could not be met. The issues identified highlight the complex interaction of financial factors relating to benefits, funding whilst in education and perceptions of low wages in the local economy that combine with childcare issues and the lack of flexibility and choice in moving into further or higher education to make the transition to work a considerable challenge. The need for support and guidance through the maze of benefits, childcare and education reinforces the importance of information and advice services for supporting mothers in the transition to work. Information and Advice Provision Addressing financial barriers to further education and employment depends on timeous and accurate information and advice both during and after a training course. Almost half the women had used local advice services in the preceding two years and their reasons for using a locally based advice included Reason for using local service No.Percent (base = 14) Its local321.4 Ive used it before321.4 Its free214.3 Its the only place that can help me17.1 Referred by another agency17.1 Referred by someone else214.3 Theres nowhere else17.1 Other321.4 Total16  Most enquiries related to education and guidance about courses and financial issues concerning benefits and debts,. Issues Raised No.Percent (base 14) WFTC214.3 Housing Benefit17.1 Other Welfare Benefits214.3 Money advice17.1 Debt17.1 Employment17.1 Education/ training750.0 Forms/ CVs428.6  Most wanted advice to sort out their problem themselves and were very satisfied with the advice they had received. The women wanted to be given the full picture to enable them to make fully informed choices. There was more confidence in local services such as RLL and Glasgow North Limited than in advice provided by government departments or student advisers. There was agreement amongst focus group participants that access to advice was particularly important at key points: at times of crisis, in informing decisions at key times of change and in support or advocacy when things go wrong, for example with benefits. There were different levels of understanding about rights, but in discussions there was recognition of the complexities involved and that the circumstances of every individual were different. However, what respondents said they needed was the whole picture for women to make fully informed choices, particularly in working out whether an option is financially worthwhile: I would rather they told you that you might have problems, say with working families tax credit. if they told you, they are giving you all the catches before you come across them. The Aftercare Service at RLL was initially developed in response to the need for ongoing information, support and guidance for former students and low paid women seeking career progression. As well as targeting former students the service now targets other local low paid people. In developing its Aftercare Service, RLL has not put time limits on access to the service following completion of training or other activity at RLL, this was described by the Project Manager at RLL as unusual since most aftercare services place time limits on access to the service. Former students valued this aspect of the service since it recognised the need for advice and support, not necessarily on a continuous basis, but at key times when individuals need support. Two further themes were explored in focus group discussions around advice services: what an ideal advice service would look like; and the scope for a volunteer advice project at RLL. The women created a picture of their ideal advice and there was agreement of the components, ranging from advocacy to provision of information and access to telephones, computers and childcare facilities. Included in the important factors were: the need for independence, confidentiality and flexibility in the manner of information and advice provision, including the methods of delivery; the level of support provided; and the extent of agreed record keeping. The potential for a volunteer advice project was also explored as a route that would contribute to providing an expanded information and advice at RLL. The proposal that received most support was for a volunteer advice project that would involve RLL working in partnership with an advice agency such as a local CAB or independent advice service that can train volunteers on social, legal and welfare rights. The volunteers would then deliver advice sessions at RLL, but retain contact with the advice service. This was valued because it could give current students the benefit of the experience of former students and provide former students with valuable experience and skills and an opportunity to put something back into RLL. Poverty and choices The findings from the study suggest that financial issues combine with childcare constraints to restrict the realistic options for women wishing to move from benefits to work. The women highlighted several issues connected with the transition that require further consideration by policy makers and service providers. These include the strong relationship between financial issues and career choices, the level and processing of benefits and tax credits, and the availability and independence of integrated advice about financial issues, education and employment. A complex understanding of the real and perceived material benefits and costs of critical life decisions affect the transition to work or education, but Benefits related problems are particularly significant in their effect on women and the choices they make. The reality of benefit delays and lost or reduced benefits and services become a particular concern for those who have gone through the process of moving from benefits in to further education and work. The loss of benefits entitlements on moving to full-time higher education mean this option is not a realistic choice for most women at any stage. Tax credits also appear to have been less effective than anticipated. And there is evidence here that complexities of the benefits system mean potential recipients struggle to understand the system, far less use it effectively. The women participating in this study found the administration of benefits to be a barrier to making the transition to education and work. Several issues need to be addressed to ensure smoother transitions to work and to make further study and work viable for women in a wide range of circumstances particularly amongst those who face childcare costs on starting work that will often be part-time and low paid. The complexities and problems with the benefits system meant that the role of information and advice services in informing decisions was significant for the women. The source of advice was important and the women expressed a preference for and greater confidence in independent advice that was local. Complete, accurate and timeous advice was identified as important to making a successful transition into further education or work. Aftercare support does not need to be continuous or intensive, but there is a need for flexibility in aftercare services, supporting the approach taken by RLL with its new Aftercare Service. It suggests that there is a need to understand more about how the location and nature of advice delivery affects the transition from welfare to work and the impact of different models of provision of information and advice in meeting the needs of individuals and contributing to the effectiveness of the broad welfare to work agenda. Conclusions and recommendations The transition to further education or employment is complex and the research here questions the neatness of a linear model of womens return to the labour market. The catalyst to involvement in a community based integrated womens training and childcare initiative is not simply a desire to move into a pre-work or training phase, but includes a desire for community based opportunities for childrens development and a chance for personal space for mothers outside the home. Parents in this research valued the integrated training and childcare service offered by Rosemount for the rediscovery of learning that could be found there, the opportunity and support to rethink personal ambitions and the comprehensive support available to users. A significant desire to manage work, training and care in way that benefits themselves and their children in the long term exists amongst women on low incomes. Further choices, however, are affected by personal factors, family structure and the institutional complexity of education, employment structures and the Benefits and tax credit support that exists for those hoping to make a transition from welfare in way that improves the quality of life for all in a family. Organisations such as RLL have an important role to play in these choices. The reality for the women in this study is that despite real changes in their lives that have occurred the capacity to improve their financial circumstances through work is limited. Despite major changes there is still limited availability of affordable childcare to support women returning to work or education, delays in Benefit changes are common and there is a lack of transparency and understanding of Employment and Child Tax Credits. In the course of the research, a wide range of barriers and problems, reflecting the complexity for mothers in making the transition to employment have been identified. The benefits issues inter-relate with other factors including money and debt management, the nature of and access to training and further education, the range, quality, quantity and cost of childcare; caring roles and responsibilities and the nature of local labour market, particularly the low levels of wages anticipated from work. Three areas of change are suggested to reduce these barriers. Integrated childcare and lifelong learning provision which supports parents and childrens longer term education and skills development can increase the choices available to parents, particularly women, as they seek a balanced transition to combining work and care, but success depends on long term funding and networking with other training and childcare providers. There is a need for a review involving the Scottish Executive and the Westminster Government to address issues of access and finance in further and higher education and a need to understand more fully how the changes in financing of student life affect decisions about education for women returners. A mainstreaming equality approach is suggested for such an evaluation. Financial issues, and benefits rules and administration in particular, have had a significant impact on decisions and progress in the transition to further education and employment for the women in this study. Organisations such as RLL and Glasgow North Limited can provide information, advice and support services that help to smooth the transition. However, key barriers to education and work need to be addressed by the Westminster and Scottish Parliaments and others administering benefits to ensure that work is a financially realistic option for women returners as well as a key policy aim. REFERENCES Analytic Research Centre (ARC) (2000) Rosemount: An Evaluation. Glasgow, Analytic Research Centre. Dean H. and Shah A. (2002). Insecure Families and Low-Paying Labour Markets: Comments on the British Experience, Journal of Social Policy vol. 31, Jan 2002, pp 61-80. European Commission (2000) Social Policy Agenda. Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities Gillespie M and Scott G (2003) Women, Poverty and Transitions to Work. Scottish Poverty Information Unit, Glasgow Caledonian University Himmelweit S (1997) The purse or wallet? in S. Robinson (ed) Proceedings of a seminar by the Womens Budget group, Church House Conference Centre, London Innes S and Scott G Women, Care and Transitions. Rosemount Lifelong Learning Research Report 1. Glasgow, Scottish Poverty Information Unit and Centre for Research into Families and Relationships, Glasgow Caledonian University Jenkins S P & Rigg J The Dynamics of Poverty in Britain, Department for Work and Pensions, Research report No.157, 2001 Kempson E Bryson A and Rowlingson K (1994) Hard Times? How Poor Families Make Ends Meet. London, Policy Institute. Lewis J (2001) The Decline of the Male Breadwinner Model: Implications for Work and Care Social Politics Summer 2001 pp152 169 Millar J and Ridge K (2002) Families, Poverty, Work and Care: A Review of the Literature on Lone Parents and Low-income Couple Families, Research Report No. 153. London: Department for Work and Pensions Scott G and McKay A (2002) The Welfare Function of Emotional Labour - The Role of Caring in the Social Economy. Paper delivered to Department of Social Policy, University of Birmingham Social Disadvantage Research Centre (2003) Scottish Indices of Deprivation 2003. Department of Social Policy. University of Oxford. Contact Details Scottish Poverty Information Unit, School of Law and Social Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4OBA Tel: 0141 331 3493 or 0141 582 0492 Rosemount Lifelong Learning, 221 Millburn Street, Glasgow G21 2HL Tel: 0141 552 3090 v #.T[%]%&&$(y))%,,99CKCC DnGjHQQQQST)UWWK\_``cde ghAkkgt/uL|m|}}}}}}}ijĤB*CJOJQJmH phsH  5B*CJOJQJmH phsH  5B*CJOJQJmH phsH OJQJ >*B*ph CJmH sH PJ CJOJQJ66CJCJ\5:IJKLMtuv   X Y l m n o q z { | | [.@"$]%%E&&&$(^ & F  dxdx$(()y)))%,,,H/s14 6899Q<h=\@CKCCCCCCD  & F h^hdx & F D DEnGHiHjHIKkNQQSTT)UVVYYYdZeZ[[J\K\_  h^dx___`ce ghhAkkknoHqFrgt/u0ux%zL|m|}}}$d$7$8$H$Ifa$xdx}}}}}}}fL[ $7$8$H$If|$$If8F J "0    4 8a $$7$8$H$Ifa$ $$7$8$H$Ifa$}}}}~twii $$7$8$H$Ifa$ $7$8$H$If|$$If8F J "0    4 8a}}}~~~~~=~C~E~`~f~h~~~~~~~~~~~~~8EFen~ īпͼͼ͵ͱ6CJ CJOJQJCJCJ 5B*ph5CJCJB*CJOJQJmH phsH  5B*CJOJQJmH phsH B*CJOJQJmH phsH <~~~~~~=~?~C~E~`~b~f~Hwiiwiiwii $$7$8$H$Ifa$ $7$8$H$If|$$If8F J "0    4 8a f~h~~~~~~~~~~~~wiitwii<wii $$7$8$H$Ifa$ $7$8$H$If|$$If8F J "0    4 8a ~~~~~0wii $$7$8$H$Ifa$ $7$8$H$If|$$If8F J "0    4 8a~~~8FHL^{{{jjY$d$7$8$H$Ifa$$d$7$8$H$Ifa$dx|$$If8F J "0    4 8a^`egln84`U$$If8F?O [    4 8a$d$7$8$H$Ifa$ d$7$8$H$IfU$$If8F?O [    4 8an~T4LU$$If8F?O [    4 8a$d$7$8$H$Ifa$ d$7$8$H$If tqqPqq $$7$8$H$Ifa$ $7$8$H$IfU$$If8F?O [    4 8a$d$7$8$H$Ifa$ d$7$8$H$If vN B#dxU$$If8F?O [    4 8a˞ q>?@KLV_iX۫bd & F hhdx^hdxdx A 0/ =!n"n# $%0 &>/ =!n"n# $%0 &>/ =!n"n# $%0 &B/ =!n"n# $% P0 >/ =!n"n# $%0 &>/ =!n"n# $%0 & i@@@ Normal CJOJPJQJ_HmH sH tH <@< Heading 1$@&5CJ,OJQJ@@@ Heading 2$<@& 5OJQJVV Heading 3$$ & F dhx@&a$5B*OJPJQJ>> Heading 4$@&5PJmH sH uBB Heading 5 & F <@& 56CJJJ Heading 6$$ & F @&a$5CJ,OJQJ@@ Heading 7 & F <@&OJQJJJ Heading 8$$ & F @&a$5CJOJQJF F Heading 9 $$ & F @&a$ CJ$OJQJ<A@< Default Paragraph Font8 8 Footer  ! OJPJQJ,, Header  !RBR Body Text,Mince$dhxa$B* OJPJQJ^R"^ Body Text Indent 2$^a$OJPJQJmH sH u8P@28 Body Text 2$a$OJQJDQ@BD Body Text 3$a$CJPJmH sH u\R\ Footnote Text $ 5$7$8$9DH$a$CJOJPJQJ8&@a8 Footnote ReferenceH*<#< Table of Figures  & FXOX Block Quotation h^6CJPJmH sH uPCP Body Text Indent$dhx^a$6RSR Body Text Indent 3 ^6B* OJPJQJ<+< Endnote TextCJOJPJQJf8f List Bullet 4&$ dh^`a$CJPJmH sH uvq@CGIJKLMtuvXYlmnoqz{|[ .@ ]!!E"""$$$%y%%%%(((H+s-0 2455Q8h9\<?K??????@ @AnCDiDjDEGkJMMOPP)QRRUUUdVeVWWJXKX[[[\_a cddAgggjkHmFngp/q0qt%vLxmxyyyyyyyyyyyyzzzzzz=z?zCzEz`zbzfzhzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz8{F{H{L{^{`{e{g{l{n{~{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{|| | | |v}N B#˚œq>?@KLV_iXۧb0`00000@0`0@3@3@3@3033@3@333 3 3 3@33 3 3 3@@"@"@"@"@"@"@"@"@"@"@"@3@3@3@3@"@f< f< f< f< f< f<@f<@f<f<@f<@f<@f<@f<f<@f<@f<@"@@K@@K@@K@@K@@K@@K@@K@@K@@K@@K@@K@@K@@K@@K@@K@@K@@K@@ Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@#Y@ Y@u@ Y@v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v0v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v0v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v0v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v0v@v@v@v@v@v0v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v0v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v0v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v0v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v0v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v@v@ Y@P@P@P@@9@999@9@9 9 9 99`099999999999990999`099999999990}Yb| $(D_}}~f~~~^n Z\]^_`acdefghijkl[ _Toc37759292 _Toc37759992 _Toc37760510 _Toc415201165 _Toc415201166 _Toc37759301 _Toc37760001 _Toc37760519 _Toc37759302 _Toc37760002 _Toc37760520 _Toc37759303 _Toc37760003 _Toc37760521 _Toc37812585 _Toc37812677 _Toc37813211 _Toc37813498 _Toc37812586 _Toc37812678 _Toc37813212 _Toc37813499 _Toc37759324 _Toc37760024 _Toc37760539y%y%y%5?LxLxLxlxlxlxmxmxmxyyyy8{8{8{8{::: 5I?\\\lxlxlxlxlxlxmxmxmxyyyyE{E{E{E{:::,4ns$)/(4(0066CCCCCCCCCCDDQJ[JOO.P3P]PaPSSUUUUUUYY;^I^ llmmxxgnw{cmH_mty  ;f!J V "($())81B1S2`222668*899P<Z<\<h<>>??????????BBD!D#F/FP!P\\;^I^__``ddhhLmmmDn\oeojprp4{6{OQ$0̏Տix#6Vio|ʧbϩЩ|ڪ33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333,,^knnscottg#imac:Desktop Folder:RLLshort reportscottg'imac:Temporary Items:Word Work File A 1scottg#imac:Desktop Folder:RLLshort reportscottg#imac:Desktop Folder:RLLshort reportscottg#imac:Desktop Folder:RLLshort reportscottg#imac:Desktop Folder:RLLshort reportscottg#imac:Desktop Folder:RLLshort reportscottg imac:Desktop Folder:RLLshort.doc Fiona ForsythQ\\Server1\Filing Structure\Research\Research\Breaking barriers summary report.doc Fiona ForsythC:\Documents and Settings\Fiona Forsyth.ROSEMOUNT.000\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\AutoRecovery save of Breaking barriers summary report.asd d5\ @xHeb%O 3 PfU:^+b!bvp ^`OJQJo(* ^`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo( hh^h`OJQJo(hh^h`CJOJQJo(hh^h`CJOJQJo(P^`PCJOJQJo(@@^@`56CJOJQJo(.0^`056CJOJQJo(.. `^``56CJOJQJo( Table .: 8^`o( Table 2.: ^`o( ..... ^`o( ...... `^``o(....... 00^0`o(........^`.P^`P..0p^0`...(x ^(`x....   ^ ` .....  Xx^ `X ...... ^`....... 8^`8........ H`^H``.........P^`PCJOJQJo(@@^@`CJOJQJo(.0^`056CJOJQJo(..``^``o(... 8^`o( Table 2.: ^`o( ..... ^`o( ...... `^``o(....... 00^0`o(........hh^h`B*OJQJo(ph ^`OJQJo(o pp^p`OJQJo( @ @ ^@ `OJQJo( ^`OJQJo(o ^`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo(o PP^P`OJQJo( hh^h`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo(o pp^p`OJQJo( @ @ ^@ `OJQJo( ^`OJQJo(o ^`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo(o PP^P`OJQJo(^`B*OJQJo(ph ^`OJQJo(o   ^ `OJQJo(   ^ `OJQJo( xx^x`OJQJo(o HH^H`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo(o ^`OJQJo(3 Pveb%L:^+b@xHd5X`h@ ^`OJQJo( yyyyyyyyyyyyzzzzzz=z?zCzEz`zbzfzhzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz8{F{H{L{^{`{e{g{l{n{~{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{|| | |@,,ua,,@UnknownGz Times New Roman5Symbol3& z Arial3Times;" Helvetica9Garamond?5 z Courier New;Wingdings"qht&^wft&H,Y<!20d%R!2Himac:Applications (Mac OS 9):dtp:Microsoft Office 98:Templates:Template2The European Commission s Social Policy Agenda of improving social and economic inclusion and aiming for full employment and quscottg Fiona ForsythOh+'0 ,<H\ t    The European Commissions Social Policy Agenda of improving social and economic inclusion and aiming for full employment and quhe scottgocot Template2anFiona Forsythom5onMicrosoft Word 9.0s@캃@Ak @&k @'rtK՜.+,0h hp|  Hgcu,H% The European Commissions Social Policy Agenda of improving social and economic inclusion and aiming for full employment and qu Title  !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmopqrstuvwxyz{|}~Root Entry FptK1TablensIWordDocumentSummaryInformation(DocumentSummaryInformation8CompObjjObjectPoolptKptK  FMicrosoft Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.89qRoot Entry Fi^1TablensIWordDocumentSummaryInformation( ment and qu Title4 $, DocumentSummaryInformation8CompObjjObjectPoolptKptK  FMicrosoft Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.89q՜.+,D՜.+,h hp|  Hgcu,H% The European Commissions Social Policy Agenda of improving social and economic inclusion and aiming for full employ