Time off for student dads

[missbumpy]

I'm 30 weeks and my dp is due to start a PGCE in Sept so he'll be studying full time by the time I'm due (unless the baby is really early). I've heard PGCEs are really full on and there's no room for taking a week off here or there.

Will he be able to take some time off to be with me during labour and maybe for the first week after the baby's born? Who would he ask about this at the college? He hasn't told them that he's going to be a father because he was worried that it might affect their decision to offer him a place .

Also, any ideas about what extra funding we might be entitled to? I'm going on maternity leave for a year and he won't be earning anything so we're going to be totally broke. Brilliant timing!

Anyone?

He needs to speak with the head of his course so they can work something out between them, good luck in sorting it all out

My university has extenuating circumstances forms for things like this-i'm sure if he had a week or so off and then caught it up it would be fine. He should approach them about it soon though, they cant refuse him a place because of his family.

funding-any allowances for family/children in his current funding? student loans? you will get tax credits and child benefit, that should help. also, if you are renting, apply for housing benefit and council tax benefit, because technically neither of you are working. do you get SMP?

also, uni may have fund for students to help with buying books, travel costs etc. worth a shot! i get £250 a term from mine.

He needs to ask about it now. There will be an admin office for the department of Eduction, or whichever department he is doing his course in, and they will be able to tell him who he needs to talk to. It won't be long after the course starts that he'll be needing the time off, so he should do it ASAP. Today .

Is he doing the PGCE at a University? They will probably have a hardship fund which you can apply to for some extra funding. Get in touch with central admin for that.

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, doing things "today, now" really isn't one of his strong points . I've been telling him to give the uni a call for a while. I'll remind him again though.

I will be getting SMP but it's not really going to be enough to cover all of our living costs (and the cost of a new baby). It seems really hard finding out about tax credits etc. They don't like to make it easy for you do they?!

When you have had your baby, ring the tax redits number. they will want your & DH details and earnings 06-07.