Scottish Government

IMPACT OF CHILDCARE SUPPORT FOR LONE PARENT STUDENTS

4 PROFILE OF LONE PARENT HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS

4.1 INTRODUCTION

4.1.1 This section sets out a profile of lone parent students studying at HE level who responded to the survey. It also utilises illustrative comments from lone parent students who attended the focus groups. The lone parents who took part in the focus groups ranged in age from young women with a single child, to women in their forties and fifties with up to four children. Some had started their courses as single parents, a small number had had their child during their course, and others had experienced marital break up during their course. All were drawn from the SAAS database, and were lone parent students in receipt of the Lone Parent Grant. The sample split almost equally between LPCG claimants (49%) and non-claimants (51%).

4.2 GENDER AND AGE

4.2.1 The lone parents who responded to the survey are overwhelmingly female (96%). Nearly half (46%) are between 25 and 35 years old, and 83% are between 25 and 44 years.

Figure 1: Age of Respondents

4.3 TERM TIME RESIDENCE

4.3.1 Nearly half the respondents (47%) live in social rented accommodation. (This compares with 69% of the general Scottish population of lone parents living in social rented accommodation.) A further 32% live in their own home during term time and 15% rent from private landlords.

Figure 2: Residence during term time

4.4 MARITAL STATUS

4.4.1 Just over half the sample (53%) are either divorced or separated, and 42% are single and living alone.

Figure 3: Marital Status

4.4.2 Lone parenthood can be a transient state, and the marital status of some lone parents included in the sample changed during their course. The focus groups included two women who had separated or divorced during their period at college or university. In other words they did not take a decision to enter their course of study as a lone parent, and have found themselves facing unexpected financial circumstances. Some are unaware of the availability of additional support, as the following extract from a letter sent in with the questionnaires demonstrates:

"I separated from my husband halfway through my course and, had SAAS not given me extra support as a lone parent, I would have been unable to continue my studies for lack of financial resources. I had also filled my grant application form in wrongly for two years running (I hadn't ticked the lone parent box), which they then back-dated for me." (Female, letter sent with questionnaire)

4.5 DOMICILE BY MARITAL STATUS

4.5.1 Marital status does not appear to have a particularly significant impact on domicile. Those in the sample who were separated were more likely to be in their own home, and although married respondents appear to have a high use of social rented accommodation, it should be noted that this is a very small sample (4 respondents).

Table 2: Domicile by Marital Status

4.6 PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT STATUS

4.6.1 Prior to commencing their current course of studies, 39% of respondents were working in either a full or part-time capacity. A further 26% were in full or part-time education. Approximately a third were outside both the education system and the employment market, with just over a fifth of respondents (23%) on income support, and 12% unemployed.

4.6.2 The figures slightly exceed 100% as a small proportion (4%) of respondents had dual status, e.g. part time education and income support.

Figure 4: Employment Status prior to this particular course

4.6.3 HNC and HND courses attract a higher proportion of lone parent students who were previously Income Support claimants than other courses. Similarly, HNC and HND courses attract a higher proportion of lone parents who were unemployed before becoming students.

Table 3: Past Employment Status by Qualification Studied

4.7 PAST EMPLOYMENT

4.7.1 Respondents came from a wide range of employment backgrounds prior to embarking on their studies. The chart below shows the jobs most frequently mentioned by respondents.

Figure 5: Previous Employment

4.7.2 Past employment tended to be in the administrative or service industries, and usually in a support position.

4.7.3 The analysis of past employment by the qualification studied does not show any great variations by qualification, but degree students show a higher tendency to come from administrative positions.

Table 4: Past Employment by Qualification Studied

4.8 QUALIFICATIONS - PAST STUDIES AND CURRENT STUDIES

4.8.1 The analysis of respondents' existing qualifications shows that 33% already have an HNC, 13% an HND and 11% a degree or MSc.

4.8.2 Half the sample (49%) is studying for a degree, and a further 25% for an HND. A fifth (20%) are studying for an HNC - the starting point for Higher Education. 5% are currently undertaking postgraduate study.

4.8.3 The fact that nearly half already have an HNC or HND suggests a progression through the Higher Education system by many students. 43% of the sample are new to Higher Education.

4.9 REASONS FOR STUDYING

4.9.1 For most respondents, the key incentive to study was the support of their children, either by improving their prospects in the employment market, getting a better job, or a job with a better income.

Figure 6: Reasons for Studying

Table 5: Reasons for Studying by Previous Employment Status

4.9.2 The over-riding motivation for studying is to support the family, with over three-quarters of the sample giving this as a reason. This motivation is particularly strong amongst those who were previously on Income Support, and those in part-time education.

4.10 FUTURE EMPLOYMENT

4.10.1 Plans for future employment tend to focus around teaching, business and the caring professions.

Figure 7: Future Employment

4.10.2 Teaching is a popular option for further employment, possibly because of the fit with their own children's term time hours and holidays. Future careers in Social Work and the Medical Profession were identified by 19%. These were also reflected in previous employment patterns, but at a lower, more support-based level. This suggests career progression as a result of their studies.

4.10.3 A career in business is more popular amongst the under 25's, while Social Work appeals more to the older age groups.

Table 6: Future Employment by Age

4.10.4 The analysis of future employment by the qualification studied indicates that a significant proportion of the HNCs are looking to a career in the medical field - the professions allied to medicine - and degree and post-graduates are looking to teaching. Business is the most popular future career for the HNDs in the sample.

Table 7: Future Employment by Qualification Studied

4.11 NUMBER OF DEPENDENT CHILDREN

4.11.1 Over half the respondents (58%) have one dependent child, and 29% have two dependent children. On average, lone parents have 1.3 dependent children per adult.

Figure 8: Number of Dependent Children

4.12 AGE OF DEPENDENT CHILDREN

4.12.1 A fifth (21%) of the children covered by the research are below school age, 40% are of Primary school age, and 39% are of Secondary age.

Figure 9: Age Ranges of Children

4.12.2 Twenty-nine % of the children covered by the survey are between 11 - 15 years, and an important issue for lone parents is the lack of formal provision for this age group. After school clubs cease at age 14, and there is limited provision beyond primary school. This presents a problem for many parents who do not have friends or relatives who can help. It also presents a problem in that informal care does not qualify for the LPCG. Comments made during the Focus Groups included:

"One of the things I find most frustrating is when does a child stop being a child? You cannot get any care after the age of 12 for children; if I leave them on their own and something happens then I am (considered) incompetent. A child is still a child at school age." (Female, Edinburgh, HE in FE college)

4.12.3 The position in Scotland is not clear cut as there is no formal legal minimum age after which children can be left unattended by an adult. Such cases are assessed on an individual basis and hinge around the maturity and capabilities of the individual child, e.g. a mature 11-year-old may be assessed as being capable of being left alone whereas an immature 14-year-old may not.

4.13 AGE OF PARENT BY NUMBER AND AGE OF CHILDREN

4.13.1 Some life-cycle issues emerge from the analysis of lone parents and the age and number of their dependent children.

4.13.2 Twenty-one % of the children in the sample are below school age and, as expected, when the age of the parent and the age of the child are correlated, it is apparent that the younger lone parents are most likely to require pre-school childcare.

Table 8: Age of Child by Age of Parent

4.13.3 Pre-school childcare is the most expensive form of formal care, and particularly for the under two's, where a ratio of 1 carer to 2 children is required. Clearly the concentration of need in this respect is amongst lone parents under the age of 25, three quarters (78%) of whom have children under 4, and 35% have children under 2.

"As your children get older, the childcare gets cheaper, because there is after school club. If your child is under 3, then you are hammered, because you need a one to two person care. (Female, Edinburgh, HEI)

4.13.4Lone parents in the 25 - 44 age groups are most likely to have children of between 5 and 10 years, who will require after school care. Lone parents over 36 (44% of the total sample) are most likely to be facing the 'gap' in childcare provision for Secondary age children.

Table 9: Number of Children by Age of Parent

4.13.5 Older parents are less likely to have to pay the high nursery care costs, but they are more likely to have more than one child, and therefore face additional costs to secure care.

4.13.6 Whilst 95% of the under 25's have only one child, the ratio of children per parent rises steadily with age. This means that 39% of parents in the 25 - 35 group, and 57% of 36 - 44 year old parents, have more than one child. Some 7% of the latter group have more than 3 children.

4.14 PROFILE OF LONE PARENT CHILDCARE GRANT CLAIMANTS

4.14.1 Table 10 shows that it is the younger lone parents who are most likely to be claiming the LPCG, and this reflects the fact that older parents are more likely to be making use of informal arrangements.

Table 10: Lone Parent Childcare Grant Claimants by Age

4.14.2 Those who are single and living alone are also more likely to claim the grant as opposed to those that are separated, widowed or divorced.

Table 11: Lone Parent Childcare Grant Claimants by Marital Status

4.14.3 Grant claimants who were in receipt of Income Support (28%) prior to taking up their course of study are more likely to claim than those who were previously unemployed (12%).

4.15 THE DEMANDS OF BEING A LONE PARENT HE STUDENT

4.15.1 The qualitative research identified a number of lifestyle issues for lone parent students, and these have been included in the report in appropriate sections. In terms of profile, one issue that emerged strongly from the focus groups is that being a lone parent HE student is a high stress occupation. They cope with a high level of uncertainty, both financially and in terms of constantly juggling the demands of parenting, student life and - sometimes - part time employment. Plans are subject to change at the last moment - particularly for those with young children who may fall ill.

4.15.2 They are constantly under time pressures - e.g. to drop children off at school/nursery for 9 a.m. and to attend a 9 a.m. lecture as well, and to find study time. Their evenings tend to be occupied with parenting, and typically studying is done late at night or in the early hours.

"Most people go to college and that is all they do. Whereas us, it is only a bit of our life, we have so much else to do - we have an additional life to live, kids to look after, our house to run, money to get in from somewhere to fund it all." (Female, Glasgow, HEI)

"I think it is all the things that revolve around the children that other people do not realise that you have to do. Like different things they go to like Scouts, Brownies, swimming. All these things that you have to go to in the evening that other people don't. They just have to go home and do their study." (Female, Dundee, HEI)

"I find it very difficult. Personally I couldn't manage without working, and it is horrific trying to juggle everything." (Female, Edinburgh, HEI)

"These worries are on top of the workload. For me that means an 18hr day, and even then I am still not doing anywhere near the work I should be doing." (Female, Edinburgh, HEI)

"It is difficult to budget because of the costs which crop up, such as if your child is ill and you need (extra) childcare, or if there is an in-service day." (Female, Edinburgh HEI).

4.16 SUMMARY

4.16.1 The picture of a typical lone parent that can be drawn from the survey respondents is female, aged between 25 and 44. She is most likely divorced or separated, and likely to be living in her own home or in social rented accommodation. If not, she will likely be single and living alone in social rented accommodation. If previously in employment, this will have been in the administrative or service industries, and usually in a support position. A third will have been on Income Support or unemployed immediately prior to studying. Her motivation for studying will very likely be to support the family. Her plans for future employment will tend to focus around teaching, business and the caring professions. On average, lone parents have 1.3 dependent children per adult. The children are likely to be under 10 years of age. The lone parent is as likely not to be claiming the LPCG as claiming, but claimants were more likely to have received Income Support previously than non-claimants. This means that the LPCG is reaching the more vulnerable lone parents. Being a lone parent HE student is a high stress occupation with the combination of roles as student, lone parent and, in some cases, part-time employee.