Single dad Ross find his balance between work and parenting

Raising children can be a challenging task, and for single parents, the responsibility is doubled while the available resources are often reduced. Balancing financial obligations while ensuring the well-being and happiness of your child can require significant effort and resilience.   

This was the situation that 34-year-old Ross Archer, from Doncaster, found himself in when he sought support from the Restart Scheme in April 2024.    

After leaving his job to take on full responsibility of his two biological children and guardianship of his 14-year-old stepson, when Ross met with Employment Advisor, Tia Hughes, he explained the new challenges he was facing.  

Finding himself in a situation where returning to the labour market had become a significant complication for him because of the lack of childcare options open to him, Ross had to attend his appointments with his children.   

Tia reassured Ross that they would work together to find a solution that would work for him and his family, to accommodate his parenting responsibilities without impacting his return to employment.   

Delivered by the Growth Company on behalf of Maximus, Ross was supported to complete employability development sessions, create a new CV and expand his online job search by completing an Indeed profile.   

As Ross struggled with technology, Tia helped by sending him job alerts via text and so Ross could complete applications directly through the Indeed link.  

In June, following a job alert text for a cleaning operative position, Ross immediately applied and received a call from the employer the same day, inviting him in for interview. However, Ross needed his birth certificate for the interview, which he no longer had. So, with Tia’s support, he applied for a new certificate which arrived just in time for his interview a week later.   

Following a successful interview, Ross started to work weekdays from 9:30am to 2:30pm, allowing him to drop and pick up his children from school. Whilst he currently travels to work by bus, Ross’ long-term goal is to buy an electric bike to reduce his travel expenses.   

Tia has continued to support Ross beyond employment by helping him arrange childcare during the summer holidays through local sports camps like Active Fusion, enabling Ross to continue earning without worry and interruption.  

Reflecting on his experience, Ross said: “The job is a perfect fit for me and my family, I can’t believe how lucky I’ve been. I’m so happy to have some financial independence and really enjoy being back in work again. I couldn’t have done any of it without help from Tia and the Restart Scheme.”