Help! Single mum! back to college! free childcare needed?

Helbell2

Hi you guys. I'm 23 and looking to go college in Dublin as a mature student next sept. Thing is I have a 2 (will be three) year old son. I'm a single mother on one parent family and don't receive any maintenance. I currently live in Carlow and am in receipt of rent allowance along with my OPF. I need help, is it actually possible for me to uproot and move to Dublin with my son whilst I get a most desired degree and get off friggin' social welfare!! Any help I could get on the following would be awesome and greatly appreciated.

- Can I still receive my rent allowance and just change over to Dublin? - Is there any help/Free childcare schemes ect? - Any help from the colleges DIT/NCAD on this matter? - Any transport allowances if I were to travel up everyday? PLEASE HELP! Yours sincerely 23 year old in desperate want of an education

Madisson

Unfortunately this is the annoying part..people give out about others on lone parents but there is feck all incentive to get off it. Ughh

dit give a childcare supplement of 1000 a term, most colleges do that or else have a subsidised creche. Will your child be eligible for ecce next year cause that will reduce fees too.

http://www.dit.ie/campuslife/studentsupport/studentfinancialsupport/

http://www.dit.ie/campuslife/studentsupport/childcaresupportfund/

u will be able to change rent allowance over but sometimes there can be a delay so make sure u go to your community welfare officer well in advance. Snd do your homework on places because the rent bracket for ra ia different in different areas of dublin.

Good luck with the degree, u will be feckin skint but its worth it and u should be proud of yourself for taking the first step

dharma200

If you find a community crèche you will be entitled to a heavily reduced crèche rate if on single parents allowance... Find a community crèche in the area and cost what your childcare will be with the circumvention scheme. You might find that the college will have a fund which will help you pay the difference. Google childcare circumvention for an idea.... Also I thin the cets scheme was being expanded but no idea if you fall I to there brackets... Google cets childcare. Keep all repeipts for everything in the months leading up to starting college and you can apply for the hardship funds also.
Good luck.

Max Powers

Helbell2 wrote: »

Hi you guys. I'm 23 and looking to go college in Dublin as a mature student next sept. Thing is I have a 2 (will be three) year old son. I'm a single mother on one parent family and don't receive any maintenance. I currently live in Carlow and am in receipt of rent allowance along with my OPF. I need help, is it actually possible for me to uproot and move to Dublin with my son whilst I get a most desired degree and get off friggin' social welfare!! Any help I could get on the following would be awesome and greatly appreciated.

- Can I still receive my rent allowance and just change over to Dublin? - Is there any help/Free childcare schemes ect? - Any help from the colleges DIT/NCAD on this matter? - Any transport allowances if I were to travel up everyday? PLEASE HELP! Yours sincerely 23 year old in desperate want of an education

not much to add except fair play to you and try your local social welfare/citizen rights offices for info on what can be done.

Moonbeam

Talk to the college in question and talk to the local community creches in that area. You will need ot get your name down early as places will be limited.