Opinion: Editor's view - Childcare provision for students is under increasing threat
Life as a student can be tough - and that is down to the financial pressures as much as any academic demands of studying.
Higher course fees, student loans and rising living costs all mean that students are likely to emerge from their college or university with huge debts, plus diminishing chances of getting a job at the moment.
The pressures are greater for those students who are also parents - juggling family responsibilities with college work on very little income takes some dedication. Yet it is becoming apparent that the lifeline of campus childcare is increasingly under threat, which will make higher and further education harder to enter or continue for some and impossible for others. Planned or actual closures of on-site nurseries have provoked passionate protests around the country.
The problems are confirmed by a new report from the National Union of Students, which found that very few student parents have their childcare needs met (see News, page 4). The demand for campus childcare is evident, with over-subscription and long waiting lists. But more and more institutions are closing their nurseries because they cannot afford to run them or need the space for other things.
It is evident that college and university nurseries are expensive to provide, and are unlikely to be sustainable without subsidy. However, their lower fees, convenience and close relationship with the academic institution and its students that ensures a deep understanding of their needs combine to give compelling reasons to keep these settings open wherever possible.
Campus provision can really make the difference in enabling parents to achieve better qualifications and improve the prospects for their whole family.
