Employability case study:
Flexible approach
Jane, 19, East End
"Jane" who was 19 and living in the East End of Glasgow, was referred to the HSCP’s Family Nurse Partnership when she was pregnant with her first child. She was referred to the Employability Engagement Worker as Jane had advised her Family Nurse that she wanted to become a Registered Childminder and wished to start the process during her pregnancy. As part of her own vision for the future for both her and her baby, she needed to secure her own tenancy and wanted to be close to her grandmother who would provide a level of support, especially after the baby was born. Jane also required to develop skills around managing her personal finances, accessing and navigating the digital DWP application process for Universal Credit through use of journal requests, to ensure benefits were maximised when her baby was born. She also required support for applications for training and regulation.
Support provided
Flexibility of support was key to fit around other aspects of Jane’s life at that time including antenatal appointments. Support included how to access and navigate the DWP digital platform to ensure she was in full receipt of Universal Income entitlement, and to know how to amend her details on her Journal when her baby was born and when she eventually became employed.
She was also supported to develop necessary skills to manage her personal finances. At the same time, she was supported to research the steps necessary to become a childminder, including advice from the Scottish Childminding Association. Not wanting to attend college, Jane successfully applied for an Individual Training Allowance of £200, which she used to successfully complete her online training for Childminding in Scotland. Working in partnership with the Princes Trust, Jane was able to access the Enterprise Trust Fund which allowed her to undertake additional training in Health and Safety, and Basic Food and Hygiene to support her in her career.
Outcomes achieved
Jane applied for SCMA Registration after the birth of her baby girl. Collaborative work within the partnership had also supported Jane to apply and secure her own tenancy close to her grandmother, and with her childminding support, she was able to prepare her new house to Care Inspectorate standards and secure her Registration to start work as a self-employed registered childminder.