Jobs for Single Mothers

Single mothers who are juggling childcare with work will tell you that it is not easy. Finding suitable jobs for single mothers that will help you to combine your childcare duties with earning a living can make all the difference, and many employers are supportive of single parents.

Help For Single Parents

If you are a single parent you may be able to access some free childcare. In some situations, the government will pay for up to 15 hours of childcare a week. This can be ideal if you are in a position where you have some work commitments that you need to travel for or be out of the house at a certain time.

Single parents can also apply for Universal Credit and other support schemes that may help with childcare costs. You may even be able to access some funding to retrain.

The government provides benefits calculators that you can use to fill in your circumstances and location and see what you might be entitled to.

The Ideal Job For a Single Mother

There is no one ideal career path for a single mother as each situation is different. However, there are some jobs that can be more flexible and offer better hours to suit those who have childcare commitments.

Here are some ideas of jobs that could work well for single parents:

• SEO specialist. This may allow you to work in your own time and manage your schedule around your children.
• Work-from-home support. This could include tech support or customer service roles where calls are routed to you remotely.
• Social media managers. Many companies need employees to help with their social media marketing, and these are some of the best jobs out there for working flexible hours.
• Freelance writer or editor. With the internet, there are now many opportunities to work from home as a freelance writer or editor.
• Start your own business. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, why not set up your own business? This can be done around your childcare commitments and offer more flexibility than working for someone else.
• E-commerce roles. Working from a small e-commerce business may allow you to carry out tasks at whatever time is convenient during the day. You may need to pick and pack orders, for instance.
• Work weekends (if you don’t have to worry about childcare). Some single parents with shared custody may leave their children with their former partner at weekends, providing a time when they can go into a workplace.

There are many options available to single mothers who are looking for work. With a bit of research, you should be able to find something that suits your circumstances and allows you to earn a living while still being there for your children. If you are able to access free childcare you can use this to your advantage and still be able to go into an office or other workplace.

Finding the Best Job for Single Mothers

The most important thing is that the role offers flexibility so that you can work around your childcare commitments. Our career change jobs board is a fantastic place to start your search, with many roles offered by employers with a track record of supporting single parents. Be sure to also check out our guide to changing careers or retraining as a single parent.