Is Anybody studying?

[kaykay]

Hi there,

Im just applying for university at the minute.

Im 21 and a single mother to my beautiful 6 month old daughter.

I want to make a life for us both. I want to train as a nurse. I have always wanted to do it but ended up pregnant before I could apply.

I really want to do it! But Im worried that its going to be really hard. On the Nusring course half the time is spent in the hospitals and the other half is spent at university in lectures etc. Being a single mother is hard enough let alone with studying,placements and assignment to do.

I'm also worried about money.
Do you get extra help with the cost of childcare? Im also private renting will they help with costs?

any advice/support would be greatly appricated.

Thanks

Kayleigh

 

[mamalove]

I looked into midwifery last year,and i'm not sure if it's the same as nursing,but you get paid for placement work.
As a single mother you can claim different benefits,and you should have your rent paid in full if you get income support and higher tax credits.

 

[stephwiggy]

No advice i just wanted to wish you all the luck in the world x

 

[Panda_Ally]

Heya hunny,

I have a 10 month old baby and I'm nearing the end of my 2nd year of my nursing course.

PM me any questions i'll gladly help you.

You do get more money for being a parent, then more again for being a single parent and you can claim up to 85% of cost of childcare depending on type of care and ur curcumstances... I'll give u figures if u PM me i dont really wanna post them on her

x x x

 

[Jetters]

Panda Ally, I would love it if you would PM me those figures, too??

Kaykay i'm in your situation and I say GO FOR IT!! There are plenty of mums out there who do it, and it gives us a better shot at making good futures for our families.

I am currently at college doing an access course, I had received conditional offers from my chosen universities for September, but I'm going to defer the offers for a year. My baby is due in August so i'll spend the first year at home with him/her, and then go to uni in 2011. I KNOW I can do it, and so can you!! The only thing i'm dreading is leaving the baby in a nursery but i'll face that when it happens.

As for finances, I've been googling like a mad thing, and as Panda Ally said there are childcare grants to cover 85% of childcare costs, there are also extra payments you can get from the universities too.

 

[Lil-woowoo]

I am a third year student nurse and i receive a bursary. It depends down in england because for the degree its a means tested bursary and diploma its roughly £550 a month but you can claim single parent allowance and dependants on top of that. Dependants allowance is means tested. Nursery fees can be paid up to 85% of costs if your kid is with a regestered child minder or nursery. Nursing and other health care courses are really intense, as you are on placement 50% of the course and most courses run 47weeks of the year and also take into account placements being shift work which includes weekends and nightshifts as part of your training, so having a good support network is essential. I am also a sinlge parent and only have 7 months left so go for it as it is doable but at same time is a lot of work x