Single parent - college - child care?

ssparry

Hi all, I am not sure where to post this or who to ask....I am currently in receipt of income support and I am hoping to do a college course. My biggest problem is childcare, are there any grants or assistance to assist me? I am looking to do a part time Access course.

barbie_babe

Hi i have just finished doing an access course. I think the single mums in our group got the childcare (onsite nursery or your own if you wish)payed by the college funds.

Spendless

Hi yes,
When I was at college the single mums on IS on my course got their nursery fees paid for by the college, either at the college nursery or in a private one. Contact your local college for details of what is available in your area.

bestpud

Yes, you will get your childcare paid for. Contact the college and ask to speak to the mature students advisor - they'll give you all the info you need.

Good luck - I did an access course a couple of years ago and it was fab preparation for uni.

ssparry

Wow, thanks to you all! x

Oldernotwiser

Sorry to put a downer on this but colleges have had their funds for this support cut drastically since last year. You're unlikely to get all your childcare paid; at our college there's been a maximum of £30 per week available to full time students, which doesn't go very far with very young ones.
On the bright side, JCP Lone Parent advisers have access to new funds which may be available to fund childcare if the course is likely to lead directly into employment. I believe that they have a fair bit of discretion in the allocation of these funds although some of them are not too happy about using these for Access courses. I also believe that courses should be only for one year, which may be a problem.
Contact your local college and the LPA. Good luck.

looby75

Have a word with your loan parent advisor at your local job centre. They can usually give you loads of advice about funding for childcare, and in some circumstances they can arrange funding through new deal for lone parents.

Good luck and well done

Elle00

Have to second Oldernotwiser I'm afraid, I didn't find it that simple when I looked into it last year. I found that getting further education as a lone parent was viewed as a privilege not a right and not something that was encouraged by the JC either. Maybe this new funding that has been mentioned might mean they've had a change of heart though and are now encouraging short courses with funding assistance? Do ask!

Ring all the local colleges that offer the course you're interested in first off and ask to speak to whoever deals with childcare funding to see what they are able to offer you.

When I rang I was offered 50% of my childcare fees if I found my own childminder that charged £3.50ph or less; there was a nursery onsite but it was not connected to the college and charged £4.80ph meaning the college funds rarely contributed towards a child in it's care. On IS, I could not afford to pay even 50% of my childcare though.

If you ring Learn Direct (google for the careers advice line number) they are able to put you in touch with a variety of charities able to offer assistance. The only one I can remember off the top of my head was the Prince Charles something or other Trust for under 25's but apparantly there are quite a few charitable funds that will help people in this situation where the college cannot fully assist.

I got round the situation by finding a short part-time course for a similar qualification as the full-time one offered and got a part-time job. So the extra £40pw I earned from working 16hrs a week I used to pay for a nursery to get qualified and I start a good full-time job in just a few days now (eek).

Let us know what this Access course is for in the long run and maybe we can be of more help? People looking to go into certain careers (like nursing for example) can often get a lot more help than those looking to do say an admin course.

Best wishes and hope you get it sorted x.

bergy2

How old are you - if under 20 you will be fine?

msmicawber

Hi - it's a good idea to contact the college itself and see if they have any childcare facilities. Some have creches or nurseries attached to them, or special rates at local childminders. If your children are beyond that and going to school, there may well be a list of childminders that have registered with the college, or other advice from the Access officer. A note of caution, though, just because someone has registered with a college as a child care provider doesn't mean you shouldn't go through the same checks as you would with any other stranger you're approaching to look after your children.

Good luck.

lindsaygalaxy

Hi

I think it also depends on the course you are doing. When i was doing my degree at uni i was entitled to a childcare grant which paid 85% of my nursery fees, and i got help from the access fund with the extra. I did not have to pay any of this back.