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Education and Employment Committee Publications

Education and Employment - Seventh Report

Here you can browse the report together with the Proceedings of the Committee. The published report was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 21 July 1998.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Terms of Reference

REPORT

OVERVIEW

INTRODUCTION

WOMEN, LONE MOTHERS AND THE LABOUR MARKET

Choices for mothers

Lone parent families

Rates of economic activity and inactivity

The desire to work

Working hours

Sectors in which women work

The link between skills, economic activity and employment

RECENT POLICY DEVELOPMENTS FOR LONE PARENTS WANTING TO ENTER PAID WORK

The New Deals for the Young Unemployed and the Long-term Unemployed

Improved access to Government-funded employment programmes

The National Childcare Strategy

The Working Families Tax Credit and the Childcare Tax Credit

The New Deal for Lone Parents

OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO PAID EMPLOYMENT FOR LONE PARENTS

Barriers: a summary

(i) Low levels of education and vocational attainment

(ii) Access to post-compulsory education and training

ACCESS TO TRAINING COURSES

Possible discrimination against lone parents

Content and structure of Government-funded training courses

Consequences of moving onto training allowances

Costs of participation in training

ACCESS TO FURTHER EDUCATION

Course fees

Assistance with students' childcare costs

Other costs

ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION

THE NEW DEAL FOR LONE PARENTS: HELP WITH EDUCATION AND TRAINING

(iii) Costs and availability of good quality childcare

(iv) Difficulties in finding family-friendly employment

(v) Financial risks and disincentives

Low pay rates

The "unemployment trap"

Losing the security of Income Support

(vi) Social isolation and lack of confidence

The effect of social isolation on lone parents

The value of a dedicated advice and information service

(vii) Poor health

(viii) Travel problems

THE NEW DEAL FOR LONE PARENTS: TAKING STOCK

The aims of the New Deal for Lone Parents

Rates of participation in the programme

Evaluation of the New Deal for Lone Parents

Securing a comprehensive information service

Sharing information

AND FINALLY...

SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

ANNEX: Proceedings of the Employment Sub-committee relating to the Report

PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE RELATING TO THE REPORT

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE

Thursday 19 March 1998

Thursday 26 March 1998

Wednesday 29 April 1998

LIST OF APPENDICES TO THE MINUTES OF EVIDENCE

LIST OF UNPRINTED MEMORANDA

APPENDICES TO THE MINUTES OF EVIDENCE



© Parliamentary copyright 1998	Prepared 28 July 1998