Being a single mother is never easy, because even with all the physical and emotional help from parents, grandparents, siblings and friends, many women find that coping financially is the toughest part of being a single parent.
However, you might not be aware of it, but there are in fact many options available to single parents.
What kind of Assistance for Single Mothers is available?
There is currently financial assistance for single mothers, to help with normal parts of life, which so many people take for granted. Single mom assistance can include:
- Education
- Housing, including rent and mortgage repayments
- Meals
- Clothing
- Health
- Plus various other areas that you might not have “even thought of”
Perhaps surprisingly, the government has over 800 various schemes across the country, that offer Single Mother Assistance, government housing assistance, and Grants and Loans for those who may be struggling to cope with the financial side of parenthood. For many single mothers, this may be due to the vicious cycle that means they cannot work, as they cannot afford child care, which in turn equates into them being unable to afford basic essentials for the family & the kid in particular. To help you out of this the US government is keen to help, not only financially, but also through schemes aimed at helping women get back into work.
Where to Find Assistance
Finding the right assistance for your personal needs may not be as easy as you would probably like. Nevertheless, no matter what kind of assistance you are looking for, your first port of call should always be the Internet. Start by taking a look at local government websites, as states are geared up to help. The problem here is knowing exactly which government websites to check out, and this will of course depend on the area that you are seeking help in, whether that is health, education, loans for Single Mothers etc.
Medical Assistance
Whilst you are looking to find work, the chances are that you probably won’t have medical insurance, however options may be available to you. The most popular assistance for anyone on a low income, is Medicaid, which you will need to join, providing you qualify. Once you are a member, you will be given a card that you will need to show to staff, should you need to visit a medical establishment for any reason.
The US Department of Health and Human Services may also be a huge help, as they provide help paying for medical care for children in low income families. It may also be possible to receive fully paid care too.
Childcare Assistance
For many mothers, getting back into work is a huge priority, but childcare is a big problem that often holds them back. Grants may be a available to you, to assist with the costs of hiring a nanny, or placing your child in a Daycare. Assistance for single mothers in Florida is available through a body called The Florida Department of Health and Human Services.
Assistance With Returning to Work
Once childcare is sorted, the next problem is inevitably finding work, which during a period of recession, is typically difficult. One option that you may choose to take, in order to find employment, is by either re-training or returning to education, perhaps you want to go back to College, for instance. However, we all know that both re-training and going back to education is not cheap, but you may be entitled to college grants for single mothers from the Office of Student Financial Assistance which can help you to get back to School.
If, on the other hand, you feel fully ready to return to work, there are schemes designed to offer assistance for single mothers. The Florida Department of Transportation, may (if they deem you incapable of getting to work by any other means) be able to offer transport assistance that will help you attend interviews, and hopefully eventually to your place of employment.
Raising children by yourself, does not mean that you have to “make do without” all of the time, because the US government and States are working together to help single moms make that important move back into working life, without the worry of who will take care of their child. Programs for Single Mothers to help are out there, if you just know where to look.