Campaigning for better care to learn

Some students are parents and carers.

Not many people think about this.

And not all these Students are mature students. You can't tell if the person next you in your lecture has a child; their extra adult responsibilities aren’t written across their T-shirt. They don't all shout out in the mornings about how they were up hours before you getting their child(ren) ready to take them to nursery or how they or in the afternoons how they can't stay around long because they have to pick up their child(ren). You might not notice their absence while your raving in the SU at one in the morning or waiting for the bar break during on General Meeting evenings.

I think its fair to say that not many people fully understand how much or what lack of support carers get until they become one. I for one picked Royal Holloway because it was the best university for my course. I didn't have account for anyone else. I was going to live on campus, I didn't have to think about childcare, or travel or child benefits. But if I did I would probably pick a university that suited me as a carer. Its hard work to get in to higher education, it takes allot more when you are a carer. I don’t think that having a efficient support and being represented is too much to ask.

What would you do if you got pregnant while at Uni? Who is there to help and support you while you go through everything? whatever the choice you make. How do you start going about finance? What if wanted to get in contact with management or your SU to talk about changes that could help you?

“Early figures from UCAS show that higher fees are dissuading more women than men from going to university. In further education the Government has proposed to cut 'Care to Learn' which helps support young parents with childcare costs whilst they study. Over 99% of young people receiving Care to Learn are women. On top of this, cuts to local authority budgets are seeing vital local services such as Sure Start centres being cut. This of course is in addition to the fact that unemployment is rising quicker among women than men as the Government cuts back on the public sector.”

Receivers of care to learn are usually in college level institutions. Royal Holloway women against cuts should be campaigning to keep this funding for parents and carers and also campaign to improve access and support for carers at RHUL. We have many ideas on the run, including introducing a carers officer in the SU and creating a support group system for carers to enable to discus ideas that could be passed through the SU and college to make life at university better for them. If you want to get involved please email rhwaca@gmail.com

RHWACA