Hi all
Just wanted to update you again. And also reply to the post from
kirtiagnihotri.
I am now almost at the end of my 2nd year and boy what a relief !!!
Kirtiagnihotri - I am 37 with a 5 year old and 16 year old. We have very little child care (please see my post from earlier as i mention it on there), however we pay £5 per day for our afterschool club. Explain to them that you are a student and that you need them to be flexible with you. That is what i did. Usually they would charge me when my little boy is there or not to keep his place open but on a weekly basis i tell them when he needs it. For example i was off on a personal development week last week and he did not need to go in - this week he is in for 4 days. They must be flexible with you really it is only fair, but some arent.
Money - you will get a bursary which is means tested - based on any salary that is within the household. My hubby is on a high salary fortunately, so we get very little help financially, so as he pays for everything it sometimes is a strain, however i am also a reflexologist, and i do reiki, indian head massage, reiki, holistic facials and i am also a baby massage instructor so i can make a bit of extra money too. As a student working 16 hours or less the money does not need to be declared - as the inland revenue have advised but have chat to them about work and the hours you are allowed. You could work a few hours but to be honest some days i have to cancel clients as the workload is heavy. Doing a full time degree, having children, having a life that calls the ironing, cooking, cleaning, and generally sleeping plus the 37.5 hours and the studying is tough but manageable providing you manage your time well.
Depending on your circumstances you will get help, so if you are a single parent, with no salary of any kind coming in and need help with mortgage and bills there is help out there. Speak to the student finance department - there is a website too - do a google search and they can answer all your questions. You can also apply for childcare bursary and dependants allowance. Loans are available at uni - which is what i am receiving. Works out about £770 x 3 times in the year. The bursary works out about £200 per month for my circumstances which helps with petrol, however you can get expenses paid for depending on your placement. (petrol). Some people are getting as much as £6,000. bursary per year. Every case is different. We have girls on the course with mortgages who are single parents and have cars to run, with no finances saved and no help from family and they are coping. It can be done.
Advice - Dont leave essays til last minute, print work off when you get it, do the directed work at home when you get it, dont have work piling up. There are some girls on my course who have not sorted out their portfolios for interviews with tutors, mine were done as i had the work. They were busy doing theirs last week whilst i had the week to catch up with friends, watch a film (!), go to the cinema, cook !!! spend time with children.
You must have time for you though too.
With regards to the course. I have worked on community, neonatal unit, theatre, gynae, delivery, postnatal soon and i love it. It is very daunting to know i am a 3rd year in sept and i am doing my final module in my 2nd year, but how scary yet exciting.
My academic work has improved, that presentation i was worried about - 72% which is equivalent to a 2:1 in terms of classification. That'll do for me !!! Just sat my 2nd year exam, and had to do a breastfeeding essay.
The girls at the uni are fab, the colleagues and friends you make there are for life. No you dont get on with everyone but that is life. I hope to ignore the bad practice seen out there, and take the good with me, and mold myself into the midwife i aspire to be from working with all those fabulous mentors who are still thriving and buzzing from the job.
Each day is a challenge, we take blood, venepuncture, or give injections (IM's), a woman is entrusting us with her care. It is scary especially now as we are being taught resuscitation and post partum haemorrhage and emergencies but fantastic at the same time.
We are due to go on elective placements in Oct/Nov - some of us are staying in the UK and some are going abroad. This has to be self funded.
Emotions run high sometimes and there are days i feel i cannot do this, but then i slap myself and tell myself i can do this and i will.
So for all those people doubting their ability as i have, for those people who did not do so well at school, just like me, for those people who may have had people put you down saying you cannot do this you are not clever enough - sod em, do it, go for it , we can do this, and dont ever look back.
Good luck
Will write back soon
Best wishes
Tracey
by ellekaye » Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:32 pm 
I'm going to start the access course soon and hoping to finish it by June. (Although I can never stick to one thing - so I just HOPE with some support I can finish it)
I have gained a lot of self confidence in the past 3 years from teaching children and a local community school but it still frightens me. It should be easier once you know everyone in class right?
because that's one reason I didn't like school.