I want a career that fits in with caring for my special needs daughter: Ask the expert
I worked in the City and West End for 20 years as a secretary and for the last five years have been a full-time Mum. My daughter has special needs and will soon be going to a special school full-time. I need to find a job as, financially, we can't afford for me to stay at home any longer. I receive carer's allowance and tax credits; my daughter receives disability living allowance but unfortunately the combination of benefits and my husband's salary just doesn't cover all the bills. My problem is that one of my daughter's special needs is that she has episodes of severe vomiting which can last for days and quite often we have to get her into hospital so she can be put on a drip. I never know when she is going to be ill (sometimes she can remain well for months, other times only a few weeks) and each time I need to care for her full-time for a week. My daughter has had many tests done but still no cause or cure has been found for the vomiting. I tried typing from home part-time a year ago but my boss had to let me go as I just couldn't do enough hours because of my daughter being ill/hospital tests etc. I need to work but what employer is going to be understanding about me needing so much time off? Apart from when she is ill I have many hospital/consultant appointments I have to attend with my daughter which would mean taking more time off. Even if I work from home I will still have deadlines to meet. Could you give me any advice on what I could do/who I should approach? Also, when applying for a job I don't know whether I should mention my daughter's special needs and warn them I might need to take time off at short notice.
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