Animal care courses in London for an 18-year-old after year 13

[Thedogswhiskers]

I wonder if anyone can help. Dd is in year 12 doing 2 a levels and we are thinking what to do post year 13. She has struggled with mental health issues and doesn’t want to go to uni at this stage. She is considering animal
care and looking for a course to do in London so can live at home. What we have found so far is only for 16-18 year olds at college, level
2 or 3, so I don’t think she can do it can she? She will be turning 18 summer next year so would be still 18 starting on the course.

The college I have enquired to take
5 days to respond to each email and then leave out vital info so it’s a slow process to get answers!

Capel Manor does Level 4 - have you tried? Their main campus is in Enfield but they have others in parks around London. My son did Level 3 there and enjoyed it.

https://www.nescot.ac.uk/part-time-and-adults/animal-studies/

She could also do another Level 3 year to see if she likes it first... there's no rush into Level 4, especially if she has struggled. DS is taking his sweet time to decide what to do next and that's fine with me!

https://findapprenticeshiptraining.apprenticeships.education.gov.uk/courses/332/providers?location=London%20Fields,%20Greater%20London&distance=10

What is she thinking of doing after the course? A lot of those courses aren’t actually essential (or required at all) for working with animals, and she might be better off looking for a job as a veterinary care assistant, or in a pet shop / farm / whatever she wants to do eventually (or doing voluntary work), they may offer on the job training or integrated college courses as well.

If she takes her A levels she won’t be able to do another L3 - unless she pays. The three year entitlement to L3 funding only applies if you don’t have L3 quals, so one year L2 followed by two year L3 is fine, two year L3 then drop out after one year and restart another two year L3 also fine.

Does she need to do a qualification? Could she volunteer for a year to sort her MH out?

Have you looked at the college of animal welfare?may be a good option

Thank you, have registered for their open day webinar

@titchy gosh this is a bit more complicated than I had hoped. She does want to do something low key and keen to hopefully make friends. We are working on the volunteering part!

@Calmestofallthechickens she isn’t sure what she wants to do after, but keen to hopefully do something she will enjoy in the meantime. Nothing that will be too stressful academically at this point. She did a little animal
care course at a city farm which gave her the idea

@ikeepforgetting thats what I was hoping but not sure that she can from others comments

@Unexpectedlysinglemum thank
you but may be a little bit much for her at present