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    Supporting students with parenting responsibilities

    Balancing studying with family life can present challenges, so students with parenting responsibilities will find it useful to know what support they can access to manage their priorities. Here, we offer some practical tips to advisers helping them along their journey to higher education.

    What's on this page?

    This toolkit was created in partnership with Andrea Todd, Associate Professor at the University of Chester.

    A parenting responsibility can include being a biological/adoptive/step parent, foster carer, legally-appointed guardian, or someone who provides kinship care to a child under the age of 17.

    Pre-application and research phase

    Communication with students and their supporters

    • Identify students who are responsible for the care of a child aged 17 or under and flag that support is available in higher education. Our information for students with parenting responsibilities is a good starting point.  
    • The pastoral team in your school or college may be able to help – either by helping you identify student parents, or by helping with the conversations if they already have a trusted relationship with them. You could also direct them to our step-by-step guide.
    • When advising a young parent, it might be a good idea to engage with their parents/carers or wider family to ensure they have the right information to offer support (e.g. navigating financial support).
    • Mature applicants can also read our information and advice about progressing to higher education as an older student.

    Supporting students to research their options

    Encourage students to consider what practical support they will need to balance their studies and parenting responsibilities (e.g. childcare facilities, family accommodation) and make sure they build this into their research. Read more about the support student parents might get.

    Think about practical matters early

    • Check whether work placements or off-site learning opportunities that are part of a course would cause a problem. Help them explore how they can manage any conflicting responsibilities, including speaking to the university before they apply.
    • Check if the student’s caring role prevents them from participating in opportunities such as open days or outreach activities. The university’s widening access and participation team may be able to help.
    • Prompt students to check if they are eligible for government support (e.g. Childcare Grant, Parents’ Learning Allowance) or financial support from other sources – read more about additional funding.
    • Students managing conflicting priorities may find there is an impact on their health and wellbeing, so make sure they know there is support available in higher education to manage this. Encourage anyone with an existing mental health condition to share this on their UCAS application – check our toolkit for supporting students with mental health conditions.

    When they’re applying

    Making their choices

    Remind students to check what support is available at the university before making their final decisions and to consider practical matters, such as transport and travel times. 

    Completing the UCAS application

    • Encourage students to share their parenting responsibility (and any other applicable circumstances) in the ‘More about you’ section of the application, and reassure them this information is used to connect them to the right support – not to make a decision on their application. Find out more about sharing this information on our FAQs page.
    • Encourage students to use the UCAS personal statement to highlight their skills and experience – including those gained through their parenting responsibilities (e.g. communication and organisation skills). More guidance about writing the personal statement.
    • Where appropriate, use the reference to highlight any issues or challenges which may have affected their attainment or performance (e.g. disrupted education).

    Post-application and offers

    • Check students know how to apply for student finance – anyone who cares for a child aged 17 or under can apply as an independent student. Signpost additional funding sources and, where appropriate, encourage them to apply for the Disabled Students' Allowance alongside their student finance application.
    • If family accommodation is required, prompt students to apply early as there is often limited availability.  
    • Suggest they book childcare facilities (on campus or elsewhere) well in advance, as places will be limited. They can cancel later on, if necessary.

    During Confirmation and Clearing

    If the student is using Clearing to find a place, advise them to speak to the university about their support needs before making any final decision.

    Preparing for the transition to university or college

    • Remind students to contact the university to discuss the details of any practical or academic support needs (e.g. anxieties about workload).  
    • Make sure they've thought about budgeting – read more information and advice.  
    • Make sure they know who to contact at the university or college if they have any questions or problems when they start their course.
    • If students are not planning to move away, make sure they know how to find information about the social aspects of university and how they can get involved with clubs and societies – the university’s students’ union is a great starting point, and their details will be on the website.
    • Suggest they check for any societies or support groups for student parents. 

    For more support