During 2020 we asked our Student Carers to tell us more about their experiences of lockdown and the impact of Covid19. We have collated their responses below:
Impact of Covid
- 87% said it made it more challenging
- 6% said it made it a bit easier
- 6% said there was no impact
"Covid-19 has meant I don't have the same help from others (family, friends, nursery for childcare) due to lockdown measures. Getting time to study in peace has been impossible.
Having to break lockdown rules to see how my gran is doing as I worry what she’s up to when I’m not there
The flexibility of distance learning has been helpful and there has been no pressure to be on campus
I have found myself being more stressed as I am now worrying about caring and earning money but if I earn money I put my gran at risk.
Have a flurry of assignments, But the deadlines have not changed. The impact of caring for kids and one with special needs whilst preparing them for P1 is not considered at this point
Found it extremely difficult to manage coursework/assessments whilst at home and being unable to "switch off" between caring duties and university
It's made things more challenging"
What would help under a blended learning model?
"I feel this would help as I wouldn’t have to rush to get into university everyday as the travel can be quite stressful after getting everyone at home organised. So blended learning will help with stress level
I think being online is a great help as it means I am able to care while listening into lectures… so if I missed any I would be able to go back into them and listen at more convenient date
As a student nurse I am to attend placement all year (full-time hours) and I just don't know if this is going to be possible.
Acknowledgement from the department about the fact that I am a primary carer for a special needs child.
Having access to documents that are read to you, providing students with software like Read and Write which reads documents, converts to audio etc.
Flexible timetables for parents and Carers that don’t require a doctor’s note
More personal support"
General Comments about Support
"Time is always an issue and life commitments vary at short notice due to health changes and appointments for the people I care for. I often have little to no control of when I will be needed at short notice. Allowing carers to spread out some coursework over the summer would help as full time uni is exhausting and then you have all this time during the summer. Even giving essay assignments out a few months prior to the start of term so that they could be completed early would be fine or letting us complete them later.
I think you already do a really good job
Fully online flexible learning would be ideal if it was well designed but this isn't possible due to the type of course I'm studying as it has a large practical element.
Just that I would endorse 1) ongoing and permanent option of distance learning, 2) proactive training/education of academic teaching staff on what caring involves and what it costs students emotionally, socially, physically, psychologically, financially. 3) anti-discrimination education re stigmatising carers and people with unseen disabilities or health conditions.
GCU has been so supportive and encouraging- the academic staff, finance staff and Christina Kelly. There is so many options available, it is so encouraging just knowing it’s there.
I wish lecturers and guidance would take the carers statuses more seriously. Although I have a carers assessment in place it isn't taken seriously.
Promote the support available more as I wasn’t aware of the support for a while
Wanted to thank university for help they gave me last year"