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

ABSTRACT

Young 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)

KEYWORDS:

• Young adult carers
• undergraduate
• retention
• IPA
• higher education

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the participants for taking part in this study; their time is very precious, and I appreciate both their willingness to share their stories, and altruism in wanting to help other young adult carers. This is the first educational research study I have undertaken, and I would like to acknowledge the support of my personal academic tutor, Helena Knapton, for providing excellent feedback and support throughout the duration of my studies.

Disclosure statement

None declared

Disclaimer

The views expressed in the submitted article are not an official position of the institution or funder and reflect those of the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lynn Kettell

Lynn Kettell is a Graduate Teaching Assistant and PhD student at Edge Hill University. Her PhD is a study to develop a short screening alert tool, called the CAT-YC, for use with young carers aged 11–18. Prior to this, she worked as a counsellor with parents and young carer siblings in a children’s hospice in North West England.