# unmarried mothers in college



## peter11 (23 Sep 2007)

Hi, 

My daughter is due early in 08 and is starting 2nd year in College.  What is she intitled to from the State?  She is intending to continue and finish her degree.  Looked at www.welfare.ie but I find this unhelpfull.  Would appreciate any advice from anyone who had a similiar experience


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## DrMoriarty (23 Sep 2007)

Haven't had the experience, but see here for info on State entitlements.

I'd suggest she also approach/inform the Student Welfare officer at her College a.s.a.p. as they will be better able to show flexibility with regard to exam arrangements and other course requirements.


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## peter11 (23 Sep 2007)

link helps, many thanks


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## lyonsie (23 Sep 2007)

This tweeked my interest Peter11 and while the links are a bit informative I don't think your questions are being answered fully.   

I don't have the answers but I think you should be asking how your daughter is going to be able to manage while in college, and what happens after the arrival of the baby.   Will the state help towards childcare, is there childcare at the university and how is a student going to be able to afford it.

I see on one of the links that there is a benefit, payable quarterly (€250) towards childcare..... where does a student get the other €2K to pay for it.

I will be very interested in seeing any replies you receive.   I will ask people I know who have had children in college recently if they have any ideas as some of them must have come in contact with girls in the same boat.

She is lucky to have such a caring father.....


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## ang1170 (23 Sep 2007)

What College? do they have a student welfare office? SU offfice? if so, I'd have thought they'd know pretty much all there is to know on this one.


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## Welfarite (24 Sep 2007)

Firstl;y, regardless of whether she's at college or not, she can claim One Parent Family Payment ( see http://www.welfare.ie/foi/onepfp.html ).


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## lyonsie (24 Sep 2007)

I wonder would a visit to your local community welfare officer be of any benefit.... Are these people there to assist you in every way, or make it as difficult as possible to your getting financial and emotional assistance when you most need it.


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## Lorrie (24 Sep 2007)

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=48577&highlight=baby+college

See this thread here "back to college with new baby"  it might be of use!
L.


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## sullivk (24 Sep 2007)

One parent family payment (approx €207 per week), child benefit (€160 per month) & the childcare supplement (€250 every 3 months).
Is she in receipt of a college grant? Does she still live with you? 

If she lives with you then her eligibility for a college grant is still based on her parents' incomes regardless of whether she has a baby or not, this is what I was told when I was in her position.

Usually large colleges & universities have creche facilities but even these can be quiet costly for a single parent on a tight budget.


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## peter11 (24 Sep 2007)

i heard that if you claim one parent family payment you have to look for maintenance from boyfriend.  How much do you expect to get here, he is on min wage?  Thanks for your help


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## eileen alana (24 Sep 2007)

She should go to access officier in her college, they are brilliant for advice and will put her in right direction.  Also alot of colleges have subsidised creches so may be possible for her baby to go there. G'Luck


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## abi2007 (24 Sep 2007)

I went to DIT, I had my daughter in july and started back in college in october. I claimed lone parents and i also got money from the college for child care. I said nothing to the social welfare about being in college as they didn't ask but not sure if this affects your payment or not.


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## travelchick (25 Sep 2007)

Have a look at www.positiveoptions.ie   there might be some relevant info there.   Saw an add for it on TV last night.


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## lyonsie (25 Sep 2007)

If you have to go after the 'father' for maintanance to claim the 'one parent allowance' \I think the best bet is ignorance.... don't know....
Not that your daughter is like that, but how is everyone else getting it????  They can't all 'not know'.....

Just an idea....


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## sullivk (25 Sep 2007)

Ok, regarding OPFP here's an example:

Total amount per week is €207. Lets say she tells social welfare that she is getting €50 per week from the father as maintainence. then half of this amount (€25) is deducted from the €207 , resulting in payment of €182 per week...at least this is what the situation was when I applied.

although she could state that the father is also a student with no income... as far as I've seen they don't look into this and just take your word for it


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## Welfarite (27 Sep 2007)

abi2007 said:


> I said nothing to the social welfare about being in college as they didn't ask but not sure if this affects your payment or not.


 
You are obliged to inform SW of any change in your circumstances ... and you would have signed a declaration to this effect! They "do not ask" because they don't know! You should inform them immediatly, even though it might not affect your payment...they might think you're trying to hoodwink them!


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## Welfarite (27 Sep 2007)

sullivk said:


> Ok, regarding OPFP here's an example:
> 
> Total amount per week is €207. Lets say she tells social welfare that she is getting €50 per week from the father as maintainence. then half of this amount (€25) is deducted from the €207 , resulting in payment of €182 per week...at least this is what the situation was when I applied.
> 
> although she could state that the father is also a student with no income... as far as I've seen they don't look into this and just take your word for it


 
Are you encourageing fraudulent claiming?! It is a long road without a turn adn if sometime in the future, a review reveals false statements, the claimant could find herself in court and have a hefty five-figure overpayment to repay! It is always safer to be honest adn above board.

Yes, SW will ask you to chase the father for maintenance of his child...the state asks them to do this for the simple reason that it does not want the taxpayer footing the bill for rearing a deliquent father's child. 

Yes, it is your responsibility to provide evidence that you did this, through the courts or through voluntary methods.

And yes, even when maintenance is paid, SW tops this up with the OFP payment.


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## abi2007 (27 Sep 2007)

Welfarite said:


> You are obliged to inform SW of any change in your circumstances ... and you would have signed a declaration to this effect! They "do not ask" because they don't know! You should inform them immediatly, even though it might not affect your payment...they might think you're trying to hoodwink them!


 
I'm no longer on social welfare payments, i finished my degree a couple of years ago.


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## sullivk (29 Sep 2007)

Welfarite said:


> Are you encourageing fraudulent claiming?! ..........
> 
> Yes, SW will ask you to chase the father for maintenance of his child...the state asks them to do this for the simple reason that it *does not want the taxpayer footing the bill for rearing a deliquent father's child*.
> 
> ...


 
I am not suggesting fraudulent claiming, I am simply stating that if the child's father is a student and has not got an income then he will be unable to provide maintainance and therefore the claimant will be entitled to the full OPFP amount.

And I don't understand how being a student father makes you a deliquent.
For the OP, Your daughter will need to apply for the OPFP so I advise that she applies for this ASAP after the child's birth as it takes some time to be dealt with. Until her application for OPFP is approved she will be entitled to Supplementary Welfare Allowance. This is less than the OPFP but the difference is backdated. In order to recieve this she must speak to the local Community welfare officer.

I hope that helps!


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## so-crates (29 Sep 2007)

> And I don't understand how being a student father makes you a deliquent.


 
I think, if Welfarite forgives the interpretation, that not making any attempt to support your child makes some parents "deliquent", neglecting their responsibilities in effect, forcing the taxayer to support their offspring. 



> although she could state that the father is also a student with no income... as far as I've seen they don't look into this and just take your word for it


 
I think that this sentence is perhaps the problem - it reads as if you are suggesting the OP lie about the father's circumstances - I think you meant however that you are assuming the father is also a student.


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## Palantir_Use (1 Oct 2007)

i have been at several "maintenance" hearings. In the first, I (foolishly) offered a sum that was accepted by the judge

At the second, I explained that Both of us were on Welfare at the time, and that although only haf of the money I gave her was taken off her welfare payment, the entire sum was deducted from her rent allowance ... this actually mean that for every €10 I gave her, she was WORSE OFF by €5 ...

This was confirmed by herself ...

The judge agreed that this was silly, and made an order for €0 per week.

the judge is there to look after the Kids, and to look after the individual(s) that otherwise have no source of income ... any effort to reduce the Social Welfare payments made to any party is a distant third place (but since it is based on the decision of a single judge, always be aware that you could get a judge that is having a bad day, or has a particular axe to gind).


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## Welfarite (1 Oct 2007)

Yes, so-crates is right. i used "delinquent" as he explains it, unconnected to father's occupation. As for the rest....



sullivk said:


> ...Lets say she tells social welfare that she is getting €50 per week from the father as maintainence ....


It would be better to say "...Let's say she gets €50 per week from the father as maintenance" 


sullivk said:


> ...although she could state that the father is also a student with no income... as far as I've seen they don't look into this and just take your word for it...


 
It would be better to say "...although she should tell them that the father is a student with no income..."

That would have stopped any misinterpretation on my part...sorry if I took it up wrong.....


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## abi2007 (1 Oct 2007)

Palantir_Use said:


> i have been at several "maintenance" hearings. In the first, I (foolishly) offered a sum that was accepted by the judge
> 
> At the second, I explained that Both of us were on Welfare at the time, and that although only haf of the money I gave her was taken off her welfare payment, the entire sum was deducted from her rent allowance ... this actually mean that for every €10 I gave her, she was WORSE OFF by €5 ...
> 
> ...


 
I think i got a judge on a bad day....took my x to court for money, he offered 80 euro and the judge said that sounded fair and asked me what i tought. I disagreed as i pay 202 for the crech a week and tought the whole point was he paid half of everything, half his child. the judge turned to me and said well its your choice to work, i was so annoyed i said to the judge " are you suggeting that i give up work and go back on the social welfare?" Gob smacked the judge agreed to 100 per week.


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## Palantir_Use (1 Oct 2007)

Are you aware that there is an (unofficial?) cap of €150 per week per child regardless of means on both sides ?

Unfortunately it really does come down to a particular judge's ruling in Ireland; there is no official guidelines (that I am aware of), and the fact that every ruling is "in camera" means that it is really hard to identify trends or any ability to argue precedent.

A solicitor might help ... but then last time I had a solicitor stand up in court for 5 minutes, it cost me €3,500 for the pleasure - so that doesn't make sense unless you either are in a grudge match with your ex, or you think that it will be worth it financially in the long run ...


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## Thirsty (3 Oct 2007)

Last post is not quite accurate; the maximum that can be awarded in a District Court is €150 per week per child - higher amounts can be (and are) awarded in the Circuit Court.

there is an excellent spreadsheet on www.solo.ie on calculating child maintenance. It's not necessary to use a Soltr.


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