New research examining the role that the private recruitment industry can play in getting more of the UKís 1.9 million lone parents back into employment reveals the challenges that will be faced if the government fails to fully engage with the private recruitment industry to find jobs for lone parents.
The research entitled ìLone Parents and the Reform of UK Public Employment Services: Examining the role of private recruitment agenciesî, examines how lone parents can benefit from specialist contracted out recruitment services to break through some of the existing barriers preventing them from finding employment.
The 2007 Welfare Reform Green Paper recommends that from 2008, lone parents with a child under 12 years who are not in paid work, should be required to actively seek employment if it can be demonstrated that they will be financially better off. Yet many lone parents who are currently unemployed face multiple barriers to entering employment, including a lack of recent work experience, geographical location in areas of restricted employment opportunities and personal life disruption.
Anne Fairweather, head of public policy, Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), comments:
ìItís vital that the government draws upon the potential that the private recruitment industry has to offer in effectively catering for the employment needs of lone parents. Itís not just about matching a set of skills to a job role. Private recruitment agencies are well placed to identify candidate training needs and work out what skills specialist groups need to become ëwork-readyí. Furthermore, private agencies currently place 1.3 million temporary workers on a weekly basis and for mothers who have been out of the labour market for a long period, temporary work can provide a vital route back into work and serve as a more effective way of restoring confidence.î
Rene Schuster, CEO of Adecco Group in the UK and Ireland, the worldís largest recruiter, comments:
ìThe research highlights that recruiters like ourselves can play a key role in supporting lone parentsí transition back into the workplace. We have identified some excellent examples of best practice, where our branch network has worked closely with Jobcentre Plus to assist people in moving back into both temporary and permanent employment. It is important for us to work together as an industry to formalise our role, change the way we engage marginalised groups and help shape and deliver future government initiatives.î
The research found that there are some general patterns in the characteristics of lone parents and their families. Lone parent families are at a greater risk of experiencing poverty and material hardship than coupled families and report higher levels of ill health, disabilities and household debt.
Kate Bell, head of policy at national charity One Parent Families, Gingerbread comments:
ìLone parents want to be able to return to work when it is right for both them and their children. Forcing work requirements on lone parents would be counter-productive since it would discourage those who are work-ready from coming forward for the voluntary help on offer. Lone parents face a series of work barriers and need tailored employment support - including training and extra childcare - not quick fix initiatives.
ìAdvisers helping those lone parents who are work-ready need to focus on making work sustainable for lone parents and on jobs that get them out of poverty. They also need an excellent knowledge of local training and childcare opportunities and of the complex benefit issues affecting one-parent families.î
Forcing lone parents into work could result in surge of ëwork unreadyí candidates
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