To ask for advice on which degree to take?

[GeorgieBubbleBoo]

I'm a mature student, for current (but temporary, fingers crossed) health reasons and a small child I care for alone until DH returns from overseas, I cannot currently work so I was therefore thinking it would be worth restarting my education with a home based learning program such as the OU.

Ideally I would like a career in MH nursing. But I don't think there is a route to nursing which is home based and part time? I know I'd need placements and in a year or 2 hopefully be in a position to do this, but not yet.

The OU nursing degree is employer funded so that rules it out.

A local college does Access to nursing and midwifery part time with the closing date for the course just gone, but there are distance learning access courses - but would any London universities likely offer a nursing degree on completion of this as a part time study? (cant move to be nearer other uni's)

IF it's not possible due to circumstances for me to enter nursing.(I'll only have 20ish years left of working until retirement so can't really afford to hang about)....

Are the Open degrees worth anything towards a career in a healthcare setting? Has anyone found an Open degree with the OU useful? They're very popular so I assume so, but don't know anyone in RL who has done one... Can you then go on to do postgrad studies that would qualify you in a career within mental health?

There are 2 other degrees that would keep my interest with the OU so would be interested to know if anyone has them and found them useful for employment. They are either the Health Sciences degree or the Psychology and Criminology degree...

Use this time to get yourself prepared.sort childcare,remember factor in shift
Morning/evening
Do think about driving as an early start may be tricky with transport
I see dh oversea is he supportive when In uk.Also. Think about finances

Yes he's supportive with finances, and I think we could cope

The logistics of it I think will be more of an issue... Childcare where/when etc and travel so that really needs to be planned well. And of course I need to speak to the uni I want to see what they expect to see if I could stand a chance in the first place

A degree in Psychology certainly wouldn't be education for its own sake. My BF at school did that and ended up running a MH Day Care centre for years. My sis did one too and works with vulnerable adults and someone else I know has one plus a counselling qualification and works with ex-services people with PTSD.

You could do a Psych degree with OU plus practical voluntary work for a phone line such as Parentline. Afaik, their phone support work from their own homes. It is extremely relevant to MH nursing as it deals with lots of PND cases or parents who can't cope with DC due to MH issues. You do need to do some training - about three or four day sessions but once trained you phone from home and you book the hours you are available, so you could fit it around DC. (Correct me someone from PL if I'm wrong.)

Ooh just seen PL website and think I got that wrong. They've moved on from when I had contact with them and now appear to have a phone room.

Thx chinamoon that's encouraging if I take that route.

Yes I would quite like to volunteer with PANDAS and get involved with them but annoyingly DH thinks I don't need a landline as he got me some super duper mobile tariff (to be fair he did) and you need landline for their phone support so think most places might be similar but il look at getting involved in fundraising etc with MIND, PANDAS and Samaritans etc for now

Most undergrad bsc psychology courses dont have placements,its taught degree
A psychology degree doesn't qualify you as practising psychologist,you'd need PG Degree in a specialism
On DClinical the placements are usually m-f 9-5 and in ft blocks.fiercely competitive to gain place

Most psychology graduates will not work as practising psychologist.its a good general undergrad degree ,that may lead to other career

Scottishmummy why is that? Are there more qualified psych students than the profession needs?

Yes,in a word.its a good general undergrad degree but psychology degree doesnt make you psychologist
Given op wants to work,and in mh id recommend a degree such as nursing,ot,sw
They all confer professional registration to work in the respective area,with defined career paths and progression