Feel I will never get a job here again

Hannaho

Hi! Just need some perspective/advice.

I completed training in child psychoanalysis - masters and am now doing Phd.

I originally worked as a nurse and also have another Masters in Adult Mental Health.

However, I feel very disillusioned. In a job I worked in 5 years ago, I eventually came out a year ago and told someone about a patient that had been hit by a member of staff and other patients who were ill treated by staff in different ways. Previously, I had a fab written reference from this employer, but now I can't seem to get one, though I have tried twice. I told someone outside what had happened but don't know if it's gone further. All I know is that I got a call one night, annonymous, threatening me not to say anything more or I would never get a job in Ireland again - now I feel it's coming true.

Since then I've done a lot of volunteer work and placements with children for my course. I got on well everywhere over the last five years and no problems. However, recently I took a job supposedly working with children - I had a few hours to still make up for my course. When I started the job on the first day, they said I couldn't see any parents or children on a one to one basis, that they always referred clients to outside counsellors. I told them that I understood that I would be working directly with parents and children, that I had insurance, and that I expected I was being employed because of my masters in child psycoanalysis and all my years of experience working with children. Bascially, my job was to type queries from clients and referrals on to a computer. The work was 20 hrs a week, but if there was 7 hours of work there it was a lot. When I said I couldn't stay in the job as I would need to make up my hourse elsewhere, they immediately reneged on my permanent contract, put me on a temporary one in which I wasn't paid for holidays, lunch breaks etc. - this was costly for me as I had paid out for childcare in my own and I was out of pocket by e1,500.

They asked me not to leave over Xmas as they would find it difficult to get cover - I stayed as I know this is a difficult time for employers and staffing - though it cost me a lot in extra childcare when my own childminder was on hols.

The pay for this job was poor e16.00 an hour. I was only taking it as a move to a different career. During my time there I was asked to hoover the floor and help clean out the domestic waste bins outside. I wouldn't normally have such a reaction to these requests - but I felt they had absoltuely no regard for my training and experience - even though their funders had said that they need to employ child psychologists/analyists in future to get funding.

I stayed untill 3 weeks after Xmas - I informed them of the date I would be leaving. When it came to the day of leaving, my manager asked if I had everything, i.e. files, up to date on the computer, I said I had. She said, yes, I know they are up to date as I checked them - fair enough! Then, however, I asked if I could have a reference if needed. She frostily told me they only give dates of employment and position. I said ok, but what if someone asks why I statyed there such a short time - would they say that I left voluntarily, and would they say there were no issues with my work - which there weren't - not that I know of. She said they would not be able to say this and would just give dates and times. I was quite upset about this and went home to think about things. I emailed her after and said how I felt and felt that I would have to take the matter further. Eventually got a call from one of the board members, who said they had no problem giving me a reference, and wanted to know what the problem is.

However, now from a fellow therapist friend, I discover that this lady on the board/the manager have gone talking to others in my field, one of them being an employer I worked with previously and had no issues with, and are bad mouthing me and saying I became difficult just because of a reference.

Really worried now, as I have spent e40,000 on my training. I am widowed with 2 kids to bring up. Just wondering if Ireland being so small, my career and reputation can be ruined this easily. I'm thinking of now trying to return to the U.K., but I hate to disrupt my children and they don't really want to go. Yet, there are lots of opportunities in the U.K. (I worked there for 10 years) in my area of work. I have another 15 years before my kids are through school and college and so need to work.

I'm currently quite depressed and down about all this - and my own G.P. reckons I am depressed. I just feel now I will never get a job. I feel also so down because that job had so little regard for my qualifications and experience - I'm beginning to fee that my qualificairons are worthless really.

Sorry for long post. Really welcome comments and advice.

gud4u

What exactly is your job.

Can you work privately, I know someone who had to go to great lengths to find a decent child phychologist/analyst. The child had dyspraxia and dyslexia.

Can you set up your own business. With all the government cutbacks it'll be hard to get work here anyway.