College child care grants/help

markfisk

Hello, i am wondering if anyone out there can help point me in the right direction.
Basically i'm 27 single widowed parent looking to go back to college in september.
My son is 21 months old and i am wanting to go back to college to do a 1yr access course to enable to start uni in 2011.
i have contacted my college but have been told the college funding has already been allocated. I am looking for childcare for approx 16hrs a week, but i cant afford this myself and would need financial help with it.
please can anyone offer any advice or help.
Many thanks
mark

Morgan_Ree

How many hours a week at you going to be at college for?
Is it possible to work part time alongside the course (min 16 hours pw) that way you claim WTC which can cover the cost of childcare?

markfisk

i am unable to work along side college as i have to care for my son, i have little family around to help me out, or a partner to help as my wife passed away in march. My foster mum and dad are both late 60's and unable to help, and my wifes side of family wont speak to me. So working along side is not a viable option i'm afraid.

Morgan_Ree

The p/t job doesn't have to be evenings or weekend work
Nursery or childminding hours are anything from 7am to 7pm Mon to Friday
As long as your're working a min of 16 hours a week you'll get all the childcare costs covered (or something like 80% of it)

The only other option i can think of, which i know a fair few people at my uni did as to do the access course over 2 years so even less hours a week whilst still being able to work 16 hours a week

Is that an option at all?

edited
Sorry just realised you said you need 16 hours of childcare a week?
I'm assuming thats how long you're going to be a college for every week?

markfisk

yes it is 16 teaching hours aweek, 3 full days,

Morgan_Ree

if it's only 3 days a week surely you can work the other 2 days?

markfisk

My son is only 21 months and he is very clingy to me after loosing his mum and my wife in march this year, i still need to be a parent to him and like i have put in my other posts i have no family to be able to help me out. If i did work i would also need child care for those hours. My son comes first and i want to spend as much time with him, however i also want to develop a career to be able to provide a better lifestyle for the both of us in the future. So leave a 2 year old for 5 days aweek really isnt an option for me, i feel guily leaving him for 3 days aweek but it will be best in the long term

Morgan_Ree

I'm sorry to hear about you wife. I'm not suprised your little man is clingy to you

I really don't think there is any other way round the childcare costs/college issue other than to work as well
Unless you defer for a year and apply early for the funding

Good luck

danielle1977

Only think I can think of is a student loan or waiting until hes entitled to his 15 hours a week at nursery, some nurseries let you put sessions together so you could end up just paying for half a day.

How about posting on netmums (I realise your male but its not just for mums) or somewhere similar asking for someone who wants to swop care-you care for their child for so many hours and vice versa? You would have to egt to know each other etc first.

danielle1977

So me again-how about defer till next year and spend some time with your little man?

I recently gave up work to go from part to full time at university and have been spending more time with my kids (age 4 and 6), its only now I realise how much I have missed-I went back to work t 10 months and 7 months,.

Magnolia

Changes are afoot - with the demise of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) there are various agencies being set up.

One is the Young Peoples Learning Agency (YPLA) who seem to be involved in 'Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work'. There is a wealth of information on their site plus a dedicated learner help line 0845 600 7979 - http://www.ypla.gov.uk/learnersupport/freechildcare/ Found another number on the direct.gov site 0800 121 8989.

There may also be further funding for the costs of your course. If you do not have a full level 2 (5 GCSE's at C or above) and are doing your first full level 3 course (which access is) then you could qualify under the level 2 entitlement as a 'level 2 jumper'. You will still be able to apply to the Learner Support Fund for help towards equipment costs if you are on an income based benefit.

Funding is complicated so be prepared to come up against a few brick walls!