To think about uni? Especially during covid times?

Yes, it's hard to be on the road... You don't want to lose your job, because it's money now and you really need it. But you don't want to spend your whole life in that job either...
I once made a decision to combine work and study. It was difficult - work, child, study. But one day I sat down and thought about how I could make my life easier. I started asking friends for help, I made up with my parents and asked them for help, I even did not hesitate to ask for help from a special nursing paper writing service (I worked as a nurse and studied occupational therapy). This way I freed up my time. Now I don't regret that I tried so hard and tired back then. You can always find a way out. The main thing is to understand what you want! Good luck and determination!

For a social work degree you absolutely do need reliable childcare. Uni terms fit with school holidays but placements won't and you just can't fit the hours in, part time.
As someone else said, 70 days in second year and 100 in third. It works out differently at each until but there's often little extra time available to make up for lost days at the end.

I know single parents who did this and they coped ok financially. The bursary and childcare assistance helps.
You could do some part time work whilst you're studying as uni tends to be about 2.5 days per week but you won't be able to do much and keep up with studies and you won't be able to work on placement, it's too much.
As for the job, you can work part-time but much like teaching you'll probably end up working far more hours than you are paid to.

Also look on the BASW website. The Open Uni do a number of free introductory courses for Social Work, they would give you some idea about modules you would study and social work theories.

There is a Facebook group ‘Student social workers and NQSW’ You will get some good advice on there, lots of students in the same The situation as yourself.

You need rock solid childcare. Im assuming social work degree has placements that wont coincide with school holidays.

It sounds like you want people to encourage you to just pack in work and assume it’ll work out. Maybe it would, but equally you could say that for combining work and study.

Many of us have done the latter - I worked full time and studied “full time” (usually 2-3 subjects per semester, but 3 or 4 semesters a year instead of 2 - not in the UK so your system may be different. But it amounted to a full time course load over the year). Also had a baby in that time, so different challenges than having an older child with SEN, but still not easy.

It should be manageable if you’re organised, work consistently, and accept that this is going to eat into your free time for foreseeable future. The number of hours of recommended study isn’t usually accurate, and it doesn’t apply to all 52 weeks of the year. There will be peaks and troughs.

What else do you like to do?
What are your hobbies?

Student loans count towards income so your UC will reduce but there may be bursaries available as others have said. There will be field placements. Some students work in the care/residential fields at the weekends to make extra money but this might not be possible for child care reasons for you.

Social Work is a very intense job - long hours and stressful, particularly in child protection. However, you will have a guaranteed job at the end of it (once you've passed) with a starting salary of approx £29K (in the SE) which will rise when you gain more experience.

Will you need a holiday club while you’re at uni? I don’t know how it works for social work degrees, but my uni had holidays that coincided with the school.

I think it’d be a tough one, because the student loan and UC systems are kind of a mess. But I think you should definitely try to make it work. If it can get you into a fulfilling career and make you more secure in the long term, then it’ll be worth it.

If you juggle part time work and studying then how will you juggle a full on career such as social work?

A family member wanted to be a teacher. She was a single mum with 2 children under 8 and worked full time. It took her 6 years (starting with the Open University, followed by a PGCE ). She got there in the end in her 40's. It can be done, but you need to be very motivated and organised.

I am doing an MA retraining in a different field of work and have 2 children and am in my 40's. It will take 3-4 years. The only way I can afford to do it, is by continuing to work part time. It can be quite stressful when assignments are looming and you need to keep up with reading etc and be organised. At the moment, all lectures are on zoom (which is actually easier for me- no travel expenses and more time gained!).

Is there a foundation course you can do at the Open University? This would help you decide if studying is possible and maybe open some doors? Personally, I wouldn't give up your job right now, but try and study alongside it.

I'm really sorry, but I wouldn't be quitting work to study in this environment, especially not with DC to support.

Honestly, with Covid, what's the point of trying to get to classes at a standard uni? They are all teaching online anyway. Do the Open University course part-time and keep your job and current UC if you can. Or swap UC for bursary if available. Even if it takes 4 years before you can work in social care, it sounds as if your youngest could be more independent by then and cope with wraparound clubs.

@Frazzledmum55

Although all signs point to not doing it, I’d do it. It will forge a better life for you and your children. Try and get as much work done when they are asleep/at school and work part time. That’s what I’d do. Sorry op. It’s going to be really really hard, but worth it!

If you really want to study and will be paying back the loans then do it via the OU and keep your job. If you can only work part time now and set hours you may find you can’t find a post at the end of it anyway.

The time for not working and being a student is pre children, you have two children who need financial support from their parent/s.

There are plenty of jobs that can make you feel valued you could switch to.

You could do an undergraduate degree part time with Open University. If you do well then you could look at an accelerated masters option which is fully funded. This would be a long route though - 4-6 years.

Do you have any support?

You may also get a bursary. Just under 5k a year in years 2 and 3. Year 2 and 3 you also do placement which is 70 days in year 2 and 100 days in year 3. There may be some flexibility but the same really as full time work. Pretty sure you can also claim your childcare costs in year 2 and 3 from the bursary people. Hard work but so worth it. I finished last year and am now doing a masters because of covid