Support for Student Carers at SERC

If you are a Student Carer studying at SERC, you may be interested to find out how the Student Carer’s service can support you, one element of our pastoral care services for our students.

Marie Jameson, SERC Lead Carer said, “There are over 8,500 young people across Northern Ireland who currently take on an unpaid caring role (Action for Children, November 2020) which impacts on their education, well-being and careers."

She added, “Most student carers do not self-identify as carers and therefore miss out on vital support or have little knowledge of their rights as carers. At SERC, we are working to provide comprehensive support for student carers, underpinned by a dedicated Student Carer policy and the provision of various student carer initiatives, all of which are informed by student carers. Our Student Carers team assess each carer’s personal situation and identify what support mechanisms are available, through the College and via the South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust and Action for Children, which includes access to free courses, networking sessions and financial support.” 

Alison Morgan, a student completing CMI qualifications at SERC said, “Through the SERC Student Carers Support services, I have been able to access advice on options for financial support and information through the dedicated Student Carers Teams site. There is also a check in from Carers Support just to see how I am doing.”

Alison’s advice to other Student Carers is, “Don’t feel like you are alone in your carer’s role or underestimate how hard it is as a student carer.  If you are having any issues with your studies, just ask for help – from your tutor or the student carers team.  Being a student is hard enough without the pressures of caring for a loved one on top of that. Just be open and honest and remember you’re certainly not alone.”

A fellow Student Carer commented, “The Student Carers team have helped me in so many ways, from offering a listening ear to providing the confidential structure to leave class to attend to a parent.  You are supported as a student, an individual, and not just the carer. I was struggling financially which impacted my ability to attend college and pay for my daily needs. By getting in touch with the Student Carers team, I was supported and successfully applied for the Hardship Fund, and this has helped tremendously. I am so grateful that I spoke to the carer team on Campus.”

Marie Jameson is the Student Lead Carer Co-ordinator at SERC. SERC students can receive confidential support by contacting studentcarers@serc.ac.uk