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What support should we provide to student parents?
We receive many requests from student parents for childcare and arrangement of classes and exams to help them balance their studies with their caring responsibilities – what level of support should we provide?
Data suggest that the majority of student parents are women aged over 25, and that a significant and rising proportion are lone parents.
There are many ways in which universities can provide a supportive learning environment for student parents. Most obviously, high-quality and accessible childcare is fundamental to a student parent’s positive experience of education, along with the provision of dedicated spaces for breastfeeding.
Other considerations identified in the National Union of Students' report Meet the Parents include:
- course organisation and methods of learning
- the attitudes and awareness of personal tutors towards student parents
- well advertised information and support for parents
- inclusive social activities.
The retention and achievement of student parents will be improved if a university proactively supports this group of learners.
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