What is a Carer?

A carer is anyone who has a commitment to providing unpaid care to a family member or friend who could not cope without their support. This may be due to illness, disability, a mental health issue, or substance misuse.

A caring responsibility may be short term — such as supporting someone with their recovery following an accident, or long term — such as helping someone with a long term illness.

If you are responsible for providing unpaid care to a family member, partner or friend, you may be able to receive extra support during your studies. This could include financial help, such as a bursary, support with managing your workload and deadlines, or even help with your own health and wellbeing.

All carers deal with their responsibilities alongside their education differently, and you may still find some occasional support helpful, especially if your circumstances change. It’s important to make sure it's ready if or when you need it.

source: UCAS

Young Adult Carer

If you are aged 16 — 25 and have a caring responsibility, you are considered to be a ‘young adult carer’.

If you provide regular care and support to a family member, partner, or friend, you may be eligible to access additional support while studying. Below are just two of the many charities providing support, information, and advice to young adult carers.

• Young Scot Carers Support & Information
• The Carers Trust offers support to those who who give unpaid care to a family member or friend.
• Young Carer Grant advice from Citizens Advice Bureau
• Falkirk & Clackmannanshire Carers Centre
• Stirling Carers Centre

 

 

Background to our Carers Charter

 

In the academic session 2016/17 there were 198 students at Foth Valley College that recorded they had caring responsibilities. This is a high number of students but we will probably see it increase by work being done to support carers as some people find it difficult to identify themselves as carers (particularly young carers) which adds to the difficulty of trying to provide adequate support. Forth Valley College prides itself on its mission statement of “Making Learning Work”

 

Fomer Vice President Amy Scoobie launched the charter in 2018:

 

"For the college's mission statement to be an accurate representation of what Forth Valley College really achieves for all its students then work must be done to ensure that learning can work for those individuals who have a responsibility as a carer and that this role within thier lives does not disadvantage them, or limit what they can achieve both personally, academically or professionally. Our mission statement is not merely a statement but the fundamental basis of how the college places its learners at the core of its vision to achieve the best possible outcomes for all through an integrated learning ecosystem that is effective, efficient, inclusive and sustainable. For student carers this would mean ensuring that their views are taken into consideration when developing their learning and support, that our college stystem can be navigated and progressed through reguardless of caring responsibilities and can be flexible and understanding enough to achieve positive outcomes for all student carers."