Childcare & Studenting

staceycmdxxx

Hi,

I am almost at the end of my first year and so far i have spent in the region of £2000 in childcare.

I applied for the grant and unfortunately we did not qualify.

My student finance for the year was £9500 ish.

However, what plays on my mind is a comment that was made about what we should and should not be expected to do whilst on placement.

The comment was along the lines of .... if your shift starts at 7 but buses wont get you there for that time on a Sunday, for example, then you will not be expected to pay for a taxi as you are a student, so the placement will need to be mindful of that.

Rightfully so.

But..... my thoughts are, students who don't have a car will not be expected to pay for a taxi and their shifts will be set around this.

However, this is not the case for students with children? I can't get my children into 'breakfast club' earlier than 7:50 and i would not reach placement until about 8:30. But i am expected to start my shift at 7:30.

So i will be expected to pay out for a childminder to get them to breakfast club.

Surely this does not seem equal?

Student can't get there on time due to bus service and shouldn't pay for taxi.

Student can't get there on time due to childcare not being open early enough, must pay for private childcare?

Sorry for long post but i wondered about others thoughts or experiences on this?

agrinnall

If a student has a car then they can sell it and qualify for the shift timing rules, perhaps you could do the same with your children?

My somewhat facetious answer is provided on the basis that you had children before you started to study so that was the time you should have investigated what additional costs you would incur and decide whether your study would be financially viable.

staceycmdxxx

Hi Agrinnall,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I did research prior and waited 5 years until both children were of school age, so much time and energy has already been placed onto this decision.

The post was not stating that I could not afford the childcare, it was more towards the allowances that can be made depending on circumstances. The student without a car is not able to attend on time and shifts can be changed, the course knew they did not have a car prior to starting the course.
The student with children is not able to attend on time and shifts cannot be changed, the course knew they had children prior to starting the course.

I was only enquiring whether there was any other solutions or experiences regarding placements and managing childcare.

Sorry if i offended you in some way.

I have received this comment many times since starting and I take it that students with children are a touchy subject.

I do have children and they are my priority so I am simply trying to ease any change to their life as much as I can, however, sometimes they may not have me dropping them to school everyday.

silvercar

However, this is not the case for students with children? I can't get my children into 'breakfast club' earlier than 7:50 and i would not reach placement until about 8:30. But i am expected to start my shift at 7:30.

Maybe a childminder rather than a nursery setting would be the answer.

Is the children's other parent able to take them to school?

agrinnall

staceycmdxxx wrote: »

Sorry if i offended you in some way.

I have received this comment many times since starting and I take it that students with children are a touchy subject.

You haven't offended me, and it's not really that it's a touchy subject. However, having children is a choice that you make, and having made that choice you can't expect that the costs associated with it should always fall on the general population - I'm reasonably happy to pay taxes to contribute to the education of your children, but I don't really want to pay for you to have convenient childcare arrangements.

staceycmdxxx

How would your taxes pay for my childcare?

I work and pay taxes and so does my husband and we don’t claim any benefits and never have. Unless you count child benefit but everyone has that regardless?

Placements are unpaid and I pay to attend the course as well.

staceycmdxxx

silvercar wrote: »

Maybe a childminder rather than a nursery setting would be the answer.

Is the children's other parent able to take them to school?

Hi Silvercar,

No unfortunately not, my husband works full time and starts at 6am. I think I will need to look at a childminder but wasn’t sure how it would work with school and the early mornings !!!129300;