Young adult carers in higher education: the motivations, barriers and challenges involved – a UK study

Abstract

ABSTRACTYoung adult carers are four times more likely than other students to drop out of higher education and are amongst the under-represented and disadvantaged groups targeted in the National Strategy for Access and Student Success in Higher Education in the UK. Non-completion of studies has implications not just for the individuals themselves, but also for higher education institutes as student retention is a key factor for their success. This paper reports findings from a small-scale qualitative study that was conducted in a post-1992 university in North-West England. In-depth interviews were conducted with three undergraduate participants and interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse data. Three themes were identified: how young adult carers experience split loyalties; negotiating the barriers and challenges to learning; and considering support – past, present and future. The findings offer an important insight into young adult carers’ experiences as students in higher education in the UK that could be used by higher education providers to develop, plan and evaluate policies and support initiatives, thereby aiding retention rates for this population in the future.Abbreviation: (IPA)