Madam, I read last week's letter about the trials of unemployment with interest. I can wholly sympathise with the writer, as I too am in a very similar predicament; I also have a BA Honours degree and have taken a significant amount of time out of work to raise my family.

Now that my youngest child has started school, I am eager to get part-time work, skilled or un-skilled, but am often failing to receive even acknowledgement of my applications. This is despite that fact that I have done a variety of voluntary work and have been involved with many local organisations and charities since leaving work. Of course, my struggle is partly due to the current job and economy crisis and high-levels of applicants-per-position, but I can't help wondering how many employers don't even consider me because I haven't done any (paid) work for a few years now, even though raising children often makes you more confident, and a better multi-tasker than you ever were before!

I am unable to comment on The Job centre's current approach/service in helping people find work, because I decided to search independently, though I feel I should add that this is partly due to condescending treatment I have had from them in the past!

It is also important to state how fortunate I feel that I am not in immediate and desperate need of finding work, as so many people currently are, and I feel extremely lucky that I had the choice to "stay at home" (thanks to my hard-working husband) and have found the time so rewarding and enjoyable.

It appears, however, that being a stay-at-home parent has become increasingly rare and, unfortunately, is now often undermined by both some individuals and society as a whole. Being a parent (whether working or not) really is a full-time job complete with unpaid over-time and seemingly endless "night-shifts"! Incidentally, in my experience, it's never working mums (who I respect a great deal) who are critical of mums who don't "work". What frustrates me is that stay-at-home parents now seem to be considered lazy and virtually status-less in our society. It seems they are e facing a certain level of discrimination for the choices they have made, despite contributing to the community and often never "asking" for a penny of financial help, even if it is available.

(Name and address supplied)