are we entitled to anything?

I am expecting my second baby in a few months time and I am very stressed out at how we are going to survive. My job has cut back on my hours and reduced our pay to such an extent that my take home pay is now only just over E400pw which would just cover the cost of the two children's creche fees. My partner earns around E465 pw and we have a mortgage of E850 per month on an affordable home as well as a car loan, insurance and monthly life assurance payments which come to about E700 pm. I just can't see how we will manage now with 2 children on so little income, especially now with the ECS being scrapped. I have to find a better paid job but obviously that won't be easy at the moment. Does anyone know if I am entitled to the dole if I don't go back to work after my maternity leave? Or are there any other benefits available to help us?

I'm not great with SW entitlments but have you loked into Family Income Supplement (FIS). To claim the dole you have to be looking for work and available to work (afaik) and I think there is something there that if you give up work there is a delay on you claiming the dole. Look at the FIS route that might help.....
again more people might be able to advise a bit better than me as I don't understand the system that well

If your wages are going to be equal to the crech fees would you consider being a stay at home Mum. It doesn't make sense to me to be working to pay creche fees when you would lose nothing by being at home with your children. Your husband will come out with more each month and if you were a SAHM you have more time to work on the household budget and cut back on costs. Plust you won't have the travel expenses of working 5 days a week.