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Original poster

Studying a degree with children??

17 replies

LivelyAmberHare · 13/02/2026 21:34

Hello,

I'm 24 with 4 kids, and I have been highly considering going back into education and getting my degree. I have 3 fields of interest - social work being my top choice, nursing and forensic science.

Is going back into education attainable with 4 children? What are the courses like? Tips and advice?

Thankyou :)

OP posts:
sittingonabeach · 13/02/2026 21:35

Do you have a partner? Can you afford it?

confusedbadmama · 13/02/2026 21:35

I did it with the Open University!

Original poster
LivelyAmberHare · 13/02/2026 21:37

sittingonabeach · 13/02/2026 21:35

Do you have a partner? Can you afford it?

I have a partner and a highly supportive family, affording it would not be an issue, I'm more worried about the case load, and if it's do-able.

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

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General education Higher education
TheignT · 13/02/2026 21:38

I did it part time with a full-time job and two kids. I had good support from my employer but it was tough at times.

Original poster
LivelyAmberHare · 13/02/2026 21:38

confusedbadmama · 13/02/2026 21:35

I did it with the Open University!

Do you not need a placement to obtain a degree in social work?x

OP posts:
Janeaway · 13/02/2026 21:39

I did it but all my kids were primary school age - your kids must all be awfully young. I guess if your family are prepared to mind the children it might be do-able.

confusedbadmama · 13/02/2026 21:40

LivelyAmberHare · 13/02/2026 21:38

Do you not need a placement to obtain a degree in social work?x

Show quote history

You do, but OU offers them

Sunshineismyfavourite · 13/02/2026 21:48

I'm not sure about the specific degrees you are looking at but I studied for a Humanities degree with the OU when I was a SAHM and my DCs were pre school and primary age. I knew that I wanted to go into teaching.

Took me 4 years to get my degree and then 1 year of SCITT teacher training when my youngest started school. I would get up at 5am to study before DCs woke up and then work in evenings. Majority was home based study and tutor marked assignments. There were some group sessions locally to me so I would go to these if I was able to with DH being home or family babysitting and I sat exams at the end of the course. DH worked away a lot during this time so I had to be very focused and organised.

It was a hard slog but I loved my subjects and had a very specific goal to aim for which definitely helped! You have to be extremely self-disciplined and determined to study as it really is just down to you. I made myself a timetable to make sure I could fit in the reading and study before each assignment and made myself stick to it - most of the time! I started it when I was 32. Absolutely go for it if you can. Best thing I ever did professionally.

Mumofteenandtween · 13/02/2026 21:51

Obvious questions are-

How old are your kids, how flexible is your husband’s job, do you have any family support, how close is the nearest university that does the course you want?

If your kids are school age, you have a husband who works flexibly, two sets of parents who are desperate to do the school run and there is a university 10 mins from your house then it is easily doable.

1 year old quadruplets, husband who can never do the school run/ nursery run, no family support and over an hour to your nearest university would be basically impossible.

Original poster
LivelyAmberHare · 13/02/2026 21:53

Mumofteenandtween · 13/02/2026 21:51

Obvious questions are-

How old are your kids, how flexible is your husband’s job, do you have any family support, how close is the nearest university that does the course you want?

If your kids are school age, you have a husband who works flexibly, two sets of parents who are desperate to do the school run and there is a university 10 mins from your house then it is easily doable.

1 year old quadruplets, husband who can never do the school run/ nursery run, no family support and over an hour to your nearest university would be basically impossible.

I have 2 children in school, 1 in nursery and 1 who is a baby (I will be starting when I have 3 in school and 1 in nursery though). My partner works nights, and we have one set of parents who are disabled and cant drive and one set who have agreed to help where they can. The nearest university from me is about a 25 minute drive.

OP posts:
FrayaMorstater · 13/02/2026 21:57

Do you have the relevant qualifications to start the degree? I had to do an access course at college before I started my Degree. The first year was pretty ok, but the 2nd and 3rd years with the 70 day and then 100 day full time placement and study was brutal

WeaselsRising · 13/02/2026 22:20

I started my degree course (many years ago) with children of just 2, just 4, just 6 and 7 years old. DH worked nights and I worked 2 part time jobs. Full time university actually worked out to about 2.5 days a week. There was a lot of racing from work to uni and back again over the 3 years but I was able to pick my modules so that all the classes were concentrated on the same few days so I didn't have to go in every day.

Grandparents picked the 4 yo up from playgroup and looked after him quite a bit, 2 were at school and DH had the baby.

I wrote essays on Sundays when DH took all of the children out for the day. Just sat down first thing and ploughed through it.

I didn't have a placement though. That would have made it a lot harder.

JustGiveMeReason · 13/02/2026 22:23

Remembering that placements can be unsociable hours, and might not be particularly close to home. That will mean you will often need childcare at times when regular childcare isn't open (particularly Nursing - I'm not sure how flexible Social Work placements are for students). So, do the set of parents who have said they 'will help where they can' know this and do they have the energy, and commitment to take this on whilst your partner is at work ?

Can you afford the childcare ?

sittingonabeach · 13/02/2026 22:27

If you do shifts how will that fit round DH’s shifts?

sittingonabeach · 13/02/2026 22:28

Do you have A-levels? Why did you prioritise having 4 DC rather than having a career when so young?

Crispynoodle · 13/02/2026 22:42

I did nursing with 4 children not going to lie it was tough (I now have other degrees and nursing was by far the hardest in terms of time management) I feel it was a huge positive for my children who now have phenomenal work ethics and many degrees amongst them. Their dad has a phd so I guess academia runs in the family. My DH and my friends were a Godsend since I have no extended family to help.

becks571 · 13/02/2026 22:46

LivelyAmberHare · 13/02/2026 21:34

Hello,

I'm 24 with 4 kids, and I have been highly considering going back into education and getting my degree. I have 3 fields of interest - social work being my top choice, nursing and forensic science.

Is going back into education attainable with 4 children? What are the courses like? Tips and advice?

Thankyou :)

Absolutely doable. I managed nursing as a single parent of 3 children. It was tough, but I absolutely loved the course, and love my job.

It is tricky to manage placements, essays, exams and childcare but it can be done.

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