I need ideas - extended funding failure

LL30

I'll try and keep this as simple as I can, but it won't be easy...

I am on my final placement of my Social Work Masters. I received an NHS bursary which covered fees, 85% of my childcare costs and an allowance towards living costs. I also receive DLA LRC (but being migrated to PIP - had my assessment last month) and a small amount of IR ESA. I'm also a single Mum to a 3 year old.

I acquired a disability after I had applied for and was accepted on the course. I was bitten by an insect which caused psoriatic arthritis, which in turn prompted a hereditary condition which had previously not caused any problems to now be a royal pain in the wotsit (ehlers danlos type 3). The Uni are great and have been very supportive. I've had reasonable adjustments made, and I've done exceptionally well in both the academic and practical work. I will admit that I have pushed myself to the limits of my abilities, and quite frankly, I am exhausted.

It was agreed that my final placement, which is a statutory social work placement, would be done part time - 3 days a week. I rang the NHS bursary team who advised me that I could apply for an extension of the bursary due to extenuating circumstances. I rang repeatedly at the beginning of this year and wrote to them to find out how. Eventually, my Uni had to fill out a form and it was sent off in March. I heard nothing more. Last week I rang to see when they would need my childcare info for next term, to be told that I had been turned down for additional funding. They had done so in March, but not told me, or communicated this to me when I had rung on previous occasions. Very cross.

The funding for social work has changed this year, but I am under the old rules. They are however claiming that that the new rules for bursary extensions apply to me, and that an extension for funding can only be granted for serious illness, close family death or placement breakdown. I reapplied giving more info as they asked me to do. Today they have turned this down. Reasons for this are not yet known. I will appeal, but I need to think about alternate ways to fund myself.

I finish my placement mid October. My childcare is paid until 1st Sept. I need to fund childcare for around 6 weeks, a bit more if possible to get the written work completed. And I need money to live.

The Uni is changing it's childcare and hardship fund and cannot tell me what I may be entitled to until September. Even then they are saying that the hardship fund is not for these circumstances. My ESA will change as I won't have the income of my bursary. It may also change if I get PIP. I can't work out any projected sums for anything, because I'm in a state of flux.

Any ideas on how I can sort this mess out? Yes I'm very nearly a social worker, I can do this, but I'm on my knees with it all. I've got under 2 months to sort this, and face the fact that my daughter will now lose her childcare place as I'm not going to get a job in time to be able to pay her fees after I'm done (the NHS funding was supposed to be until end of Nov, due to study days, bit complicated).

Any magic funds out there? Or magical ideas for my befuddled brain? I can't throw in the towel now, but I'm oh soo tempted...

whodathunkit

Have you contacted the Students Union to see whether they can take the matter up with the university on your behalf?

agrinnall

You could try contacting the National Careers Service to see whether you might be eligible for a Career Development Loan - it looks like you'd normally have to apply in advance of starting the course, but maybe that's not an absolute requirement.

https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

0800 100 900

LL30

Thanks for the suggestions. On my list tomorrow is to compile an email to: Students Union, BASW, my MP and the Disabled Students dept at Uni - I'm going all out. I'm hoping that someone will be able to take up the fight for me, whilst I try and find some reserves, fatigue is killing me at the moment.

A CDL worries me - I'd need to be in employment pretty sharpish to pay it back and I'm not sure how realistic that will be if I'm honest (despite my abilities, I appreciate that I need to find an employer who can cope with me and not see me as a risk assessment - I wish I was joking!). But, it does look like I need to explore the idea further, so thanks for this.

Any other ideas appreciated also, I'm open to anything (well, nearly anything!).