2.2  The impact of caring on the student experience

The more you know about the different experiences carers have the better you will be able to provide personalised and flexible support to student carers.

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Transcript: Video 2.1  Impact on study

[Impact on study]

REBECCA BAXTER
Being a young carer impacts me at university because if I know my brother has something happening like a new day, he’s going to start college in September, so the week he starts, I’ll be more nervous about if it’s going well or not, and if he’s having a good or a bad day, then he’ll definitely be more anxious. So, around the times of new things, or if he has a lot of work to do for college, we’ll definitely be speaking a bit more so that his anxiety isn’t as bad and we can work through it. So, this can sometimes impact assignments. Like if he has a lot of work due at the same time I have a lot of work due, I am going to choose speaking to him over doing the work. So, it can impact me like that. And then, as I said, the late nights of just speaking to him when his mental health is worse.

[Impact university had on carer and cared for]

It didn’t impact me thinking about moving away because both of my parents assured me that it would be okay for me to move away for uni and stay in halls, which is really good because it meant I could have more of a student life. But for moving up, I knew it would make my brother especially anxious because he’d never been to the city of my uni before, he’d never seen the uni or halls, so the day I moved in, he came with me and both of my parents so he could see my room and my halls, and then he also went on a walk around the university campus so that he could see it and visualise it so that if he was anxious once he was back home, he knew where I was because he’d seen it, and it helped him with visualising it so that he wasn’t in the unknown, so that he knew where I was, and it definitely helped his anxiety.
CHARLOTTE MUIR
It can impact your concentration. For instance, sometimes you’re up really late, and sleeping for young carers is normally quite difficult. Most of the time, you’re turning up to uni, but you’re not really there. So, I think making sure that they have supports in place, like having a Dictaphone so they can record and then go back and listen to it when they have a bit more energy. Or even just simple things as making sure that they are going to have a good person that they can go to, i.e. for me it’s my personal academic tutor. I have a very good relationship with them, and I know if something goes on, which often in my situation, we go from nothing to little small caring roles, to then suddenly my mum is in hospital and we’re going to visit her every day and it’s quite intense. So, I know that if something intense happens, I need support, more impactful support, then I can go directly to my PAT, and they will help me figure something out, albeit if it’s just point me in the direction of the health and wellbeing advisor at my uni.
BETHANY COPLAND
…because it’s the extra stress, it’s the fact that you might not make it to classes because you’ve got to assist your carer role with appointments, or you’ve been up all night and you’ve slept in or you have no energy to actually pay attention in your class. It’s also hard to focus on being a student when your mind’s thinking about this person that you’re caring for and the fact that ‘are they doing okay?’ Especially when you’re living on campus and you’re not seeing them regularly. I can go into a class and I’ll see the time when I’m in class, and I’m like ‘mum’s meant to take some medication now, has she taken her medication?’ But I’m in class, so I can’t phone her to check, and I’ve got to trust that she is.
End transcript: Video 2.1  Impact on study
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Video 2.1  Impact on study
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Activity 2.2  The impact of caring on study

Timing: Allow around 10–15 minutes

Having listened to Rebecca, Charlotte and Bethany discuss their experiences of caring while at university (Video 2.1), let’s take some time to reflect on the impact caring can potentially have on the students you are working with.

This activity draws on a range of experiences, some of which were shared by student carers who took part in The Student Carer Experience in Scotland research, carried out by Carers Trust Scotland (Martin, 2020).

As you complete the activity, think about how your reflections could shape the polices, practices and care plans you have in place or could develop for student carers.

  • In the left-hand column is a real-life experience from a student carer.

  • In the middle column we would like you to reflect on how you think this experience may impact the student.

  • In the right-hand column we would like you to reflect on how having this understanding may influence the support you give the student carers you work with.

  • We have started you off with an example.

Experience

What impact might this experience have on a student carer?

In your role, how might knowing about this help you to support student carers?

‘I chose to go to a University close to home so I could still help out. It’s hard to switch off from worrying about mum and dad while I’m out at University.’

Example: When in class, carers can feel stressed and anxious about what’s going on at home and feel out of touch. Carers will often spend time emergency planning so that they have strategies for responding to unforeseen incidents that occur while they are not with the person they care for. This can impact on their concentration and participation when learning as well as their health and wellbeing.

Example: check in with carers at the start of term to plan strategies for dealing with emergencies that may arise while they are in class.

Be more patient if they seem distracted.

‘I know people stay behind and go to the library. But sometimes you can’t because you’ve been away since 9 a.m. You need to go home and get stuff done.’

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‘Mum struggles a lot with her health so I end up doing a lot of care for my little sister, school pick up and drop off.’

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‘We get no additional funding as carers. We don’t qualify for carers allowance and we often need to take on part time jobs. It’s like leading a triple life and it’s not practical mentally, emotionally or physically.’

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‘I think the most important thing for Universities to know about supporting students with caring responsibilities is to make it explicit that there is support available. I didn’t know till I had nearly finished my course.’

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‘Even though it was a question on the application form, no-one has actually asked me about my caring role. No-one has contacted me about it.’

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‘You can’t always do the same things as other students; it’s harder for me to meet uni friends socially.’

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‘Sometimes it's hard to ask for help and you can sometimes feel like a failure if you can't cope’

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2.1  What student carers bring to university

2.3  Equality and inclusion