Shaping Brighter Tomorrows: Pupil Support Assistant Traineeship for lone parents

Lone parents are an incredible pool of untapped talent, but they often face significant challenges when trying to enter or re-enter the workforce. We meet lone parents who are eager to work, however struggle to find flexible opportunities for fair work that enable them to juggle being the sole carer for their children.

Our Lone Parent, Poverty & Work initiative works closely with lone parents to understand their needs, advocate for change in the workplace and break down the barriers they face. Through these conversations, a clear need emerged. Many lone parents wanted term-time roles to remove the need for childcare, and employment opportunities like these are a bit of a unicorn in the labour market.  We also heard about the strengths of lone parents with amazing transferable skills such as budgeting, organisational, autonomous, problem solving, creativity and adaptability. All of this led us to identify Pupil Support Assistants as a great career for many lone parents.

We learned that locally our colleagues in Education often faced challenges in the recruitment and retention of Pupil Support Assistants (PSAs), who play a key role in our local Schools.

This led to the development of an exciting partnership with Fife Jobs Contract, Education and Fife Gingerbread. We focused on creating a tailored traineeship programme, which offered lone parents an alternative and supportive pathway into these roles.

Preparing to Flourish

We worked collaboratively to plan the Traineeship to set the parents up for success, and to ensure that this pilot developed an alternative recruitment pathway that could be scaled up.

The key ingredients to our success were:

• Co-design of the Traineeship with partners, and the voice of lone parents embedded.

• Grounded the approach in Fair Work principles which included a six-month paid Traineeship to support employability in the workplace and funding to overcome financial barriers when starting work (e.g. transport, clothing).

• A supportive recruitment process with Education where eight lone parents were successful in joining the Traineeship.

• Identifying local schools to overcome barriers for lone parents balancing childcare and transport (many parents we work with are reliant on public transport).

• Combining holistic family support from Fife Gingerbread (i.e. wrap around services) alongside support from Education and Fife Jobs Contract.

• A gentle introduction to the world of work with the first four-weeks hosted by Fife Gingerbread to overcome barriers over support, training and develop peer support.

Can you describe how you felt before you were offered this opportunity with Fife Gingerbread?

“Depressed, trapped, hopeless. Like I was being punished for being a lone parent. Guilt and shame for not being able to find a flexible job to provide for my son.”

The Traineeship Model

This is not our first Traineeship, and we used previous experience to design a Model which worked for the partnership and (most importantly) the families.

The first four weeks of their paid-placement were facilitated by Fife Gingerbread with input from colleagues in Fife Jobs Contract and Education. We focused on overcoming barriers such as transport, money, housing and confidence. Our aim was to create a sense of stability for the parents and an opportunity to form friendships so they could support each other. The group bonded really quickly, and this created an excellent environment for them to grow and develop individually and as a team.

We had some fun with team building activities such as an escape room, and den and fire building with The Ecology Centre. The trainees also completed their Paediatric First Aid (DieuCare Training) and NQ Process of Play (Direct Partners Ltd). Career progression was a key focus from the start, therefore including accredited qualifications was critical. By integrating the NQ Process of Play qualification, parents began working toward their SCQF Level 6 which is an essential requirement for PSA roles and beyond. This not only strengthened their employability and self-esteem but also positioned them for progression in their career.

What part [of the four-week induction] did you like best?

“Loved all the team building days but also really enjoyed the training with Direct Partners as it helped train my brain to start learning again which I haven’t done for a long time. Also helped me stay focused during a difficult personal time.”

Following this, the team transitioned into placements in local Schools. This was the most challenging step for parents as they were entering the ‘real’ workplace and moving on from the safety of the peer group. The parents were all placed in different schools, and to ease this transition, we put several key supports in place.

-  School Induction & Buddy System:

Every trainee was to receive a school induction and paired with a “buddy” for guidance and support, as well as build confidence and complemented the pre-employment induction we had completed together.

- Regular Check-Ins:

Fife Gingerbread’s project coordinator initially provided ongoing support through weekly phone calls at the start of the placement. This helped address early challenges — such as navigating school systems and understanding expectations — before they escalated.

-  Targeted Review Process:

Routine reviews were carried out by the project coordinator directly with the trainees which focused on training, goals, strengths and areas of development. This is helped to build a picture for the trainees, but also for education to provide opportunity to progress.

-  Monthly Peer Support Sessions:

Group sessions offered trainees a space to share positive experiences, voice concerns, and collectively solve problems. These meetings reinforced the peer network built during training, providing reassurance and sustainability.

What is going well?

“I really enjoy the job, the routine for myself, it’s really made my life better.”

As with any pilot project, we encountered a few unexpected quirks during the paid-placements. Small logistical challenges surfaced that caused some initial confusion for both parents and schools. One example was the contract structure:

Trainees were placed on 52-week contracts by the employability service, as this was the default setting. However, Pupil Support Assistants are typically employed on 39-week term-time contracts, which raised some questions around annual leave and management processes.

Any issues which arose required extra communication and collaborative thinking between the partnership to ensure everything ran smoothly, and to solve any challenges – or work with them!

Tailored in-work support was provided to each trainee throughout the programme. Fife Gingerbread offered guidance on both workplace and personal challenges such as:

When one trainee found that working 25 hours a week wasn’t providing a positive work-life balance, we collaborated to reduce their hours to ensure they could sustain the Traineeship. And this meant we could create an additional part-time role for another lone parent. This brought our cohort from eight to nine participants — a solution that benefited everyone involved: the original trainee, the new employee, and the service.

Goal setting and career progression were also key aspects of our support. We encouraged blue sky thinking, helping parents envision their next steps while building their skills and experiences. Fife Gingerbread provided employability support, hosting in-person sessions to develop their CVs and application skills which highlighted their achievements. The combination of holistic whole family support and ongoing development opportunities ensured that trainees felt equipped, valued, and ready to build sustainable careers in education.

What do you hope happens next?

“I am so proud to say that I am working in a role that is both challenging and rewarding. To be able to support children in school is something I always wanted to do, and in this capacity, it feels just right for me personally.”

What’s next?

From the start of this process our aim was that the Traineeship would enable parents to make a smooth transition into more permanent employment. We’re proud to share that two parents have secured full-time positions within their placement schools, with one moving into a part-time role at another school closer to home. Additionally, two parents have gained part-time hours on a supply basis, allowing them the flexibility to pick up shifts as needed. A further four parents have joined the supply list, a route which enables them to work hours that fit around their family commitments. We are proud of all our trainees!

Any additional comments?

“I have had the best 6 months experience ever, from being in the office [pre- placement training] to my work-placement I’ve enjoyed every step, I also made friends along the way and really got out my comfort zone, I’ve loved having [Fife Gingerbread] support us and cheer us on whatever we’ve been doing …”

All nine participants have expressed a strong desire to pursue their SCQF Level 6 qualification, and we are actively working with Fife College to explore how this can be achieved for each individual. We recognise that personal circumstances vary, and we are committed to finding flexible solutions that work for everyone.

Final Reflections

This work was led by Louise (Project Coordinator) and here are her final reflections.

”The Pupil Support Assistant Traineeship has been such a rewarding project, but it definitely came with its challenges. I was learning about the Education department right alongside the trainees, so it felt like we were all figuring things out together. I had some fantastic supportive partners to work with, and despite the bumps along the way, it was always clear that we all wanted the same outcome — for this to really work for the lone parents and the Education service.

I would really love to run this project for lone parents and PSAs again and already recognise some development opportunities! I think crafting relationships with each head teacher could help to address any issues more effectively, with tailored solutions for individual trainees. Learning some of the processes around recruitment and timelines within Education could have helped getting the trainees onto the supply list, which would have helped with a smoother transition. Additionally, I would look to work with a smaller cohort for more focused, personalised support during this crucial transition period.

The outcomes have been truly life-changing. Hearing the stories of increased confidence, financial stability, and empowerment from this group really reinforces why we’re so passionate about advocating for lone parents. It’s not just about getting employment; it’s about changing lives for both the parents and their children. Not only that, but these parents have become a support network, making connections and a community they can rely on, even as they take their next steps.”

We asked our partners at Fife Jobs Contract for their perspective on the paid-placements, who shared: “The Life Chances Team are delighted this project has worked very well, producing successful outcomes for the clients. We are especially excited as it's a first step working with Education Services & Fife Gingerbread in partnership and we are looking forward to future partnerships. “

Any additional comments?

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be part of this project and will be forever in debt to Fife Gingerbread for their continued support throughout this process. Thank you for allowing me to pursue the career I have always dreamed of, and in doing so become a better parent to my son.”