17 year old wants to leave college course

Kezzanetty

So my 17 year old is getting poor grades at college.  He tries so hard but it’s looking like this isn’t the career for him.  His plan was to struggle to the end of the year and try a new course in September however his tutor has suggested he may throw him off the course due to low grades.  If this happens would we lose the child eminent of UC and child benefit? I’m guessing we do.  My husband has poor mental health and only works part time.  We are very worried about our sons future but also about money in the meantime.  

poppy12345

If he finishes college then your child element of UC and child benefit will end. It only continues at this age if he remains in full time non advanced education.

17 year olds can only usually claim Universal Credit under very specific circumstances. When is he 18?

More information here. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/claims-by-16-and-17-year-olds

Universal Credit claims from 16 and 17 year olds

The minimum age to claim Universal Credit is generally 18 but in some circumstances the minimum age is lowered to 16 where a person:

1. has limited capability for work;
2. is awaiting an assessment to determine whether they have limited capability for work and has a statement given by a registered medical practitioner which provides that the person is not fit for work;
3. has regular and substantial caring responsibilities for a severely disabled person;
4. is responsible for a child;
5. is a member of a couple the other member of which is responsible for a child or a qualifying young person (but only where the other member meets all the basic conditions of UC entitlement);
6. is pregnant, and it is 11 weeks or less before her expected week of confinement, or was pregnant and it is 15 weeks or less since the date of her confinement;
7. is without parental support

A young person is without parental support if they are not being looked after by a local authority and they:

• have no parent; or
• can't live with their parents because they are estranged from them, there is a serious risk to their physical or mental health, or they would suffer significant harm if they lived with them; or
• are living away from their parents, and neither parent is able to support them financially because the parent has a physical or mental impairment, is detained in custody pending trial or sentence upon conviction or under a sentence imposed by a court, or is prohibited from entering or re-entering Great Britain.

Chris_English

The right order for him to do things in here is to search for and get a job, and then to leave the college course, not the other way round.

I assume he’s already got a weekend job to contribute to the household expenses? If so, can he go full-time there?

If not then he needs to get looking.

Kezzanetty

He will be 18 in July.  It looks like he is going to have to get a job instead as waiting around for September doesn’t seam possible.  He doesn’t meet any of those criteria.  

poppy12345

If he leaves college then he can claim UC once he reaches 18. You will need to report the changes to DWP and child benefit if he does leave in the meantime.

theoretica

Also talk to the college - are there courses that would be a better fit that he could transfer onto?

Kezzanetty

Chris_English said:

The right order for him to do things in here is to search for and get a job, and then to leave the college course, not the other way round.

I assume he’s already got a weekend job to contribute to the household expenses? If so, can he go full-time there?

If not then he needs to get looking.

He is now applying for jobs.  Hopefully he’ll hear something soon

Kezzanetty

theoretica said:

Also talk to the college - are there courses that would be a better fit that he could transfer onto?

He want to move course but guessing that won’t start until September.  I have a telephone appointment with his tutor tomorrow

Grumpy_chap

Kezzanetty said:

So my 17 year old is getting poor grades at college.  He tries so hard but it’s looking like this isn’t the career for him.  His plan was to struggle to the end of the year and try a new course in September however his tutor has suggested he may throw him off the course due to low grades.  If this happens would we lose the child eminent of UC and child benefit? I’m guessing we do.  My husband has poor mental health and only works part time.  We are very worried about our sons future but also about money in the meantime.  

I can't advise on the UC-side of things but it sounds like the College are not providing the level of support they should be to work with your son and identify what type of route forward would be the most appropriate.  Simply saying "low grades and out" is a cop-out.

Is there a student welfare team that your son can can get any assistance from?  The College should be able to advise on matters such as alternative courses, or vocational courses, or apprenticeships, maybe via their careers service team.  It is simply not good enough for the College to just say that the current course is not working, so goodbye and find your own future.

Kezzanetty

Grumpy_chap said:

Kezzanetty said:

So my 17 year old is getting poor grades at college.  He tries so hard but it’s looking like this isn’t the career for him.  His plan was to struggle to the end of the year and try a new course in September however his tutor has suggested he may throw him off the course due to low grades.  If this happens would we lose the child eminent of UC and child benefit? I’m guessing we do.  My husband has poor mental health and only works part time.  We are very worried about our sons future but also about money in the meantime.  

I can't advise on the UC-side of things but it sounds like the College are not providing the level of support they should be to work with your son and identify what type of route forward would be the most appropriate.  Simply saying "low grades and out" is a cop-out.

Is there a student welfare team that your son can can get any assistance from?  The College should be able to advise on matters such as alternative courses, or vocational courses, or apprenticeships, maybe via their careers service team.  It is simply not good enough for the College to just say that the current course is not working, so goodbye and find your own future.

He did go in and they suggested he try a different course in September which he seamed keen to do.  It’s just this in between months he is worried about. I think if he gets a full time job now then he wont end up going back in September. He struggles with his memory which means he takes longer to learn things than perhaps others his age.  I am going to see what his tutor says tomorrow.  I’m wondering if it is a way of getting the lazy ones to buck their ideas up however he is really trying and has now lost all confidence in himself.  He said he is  aware of oxygen which worries me! I promise he is not lazy just struggles and then gets depressed. 

poppy12345

It sounds like to me that he's struggling with some health conditions related to metal health. I agree with the above that his college should be supporting him, not telling him about his grade but they can't do this if someone doesn't tell them what's going on. When you speak to them tomorrow, i'd advise you to be honest about his struggles and ask them for more support.