Financial support
The VMWS is aware of the challenge many tertiary students face when they take study leave for parental reasons, for both planned and unplanned circumstances.
Many tertiary students in Victoria today are entering graduate studies, and, for many, decisions around bearing children are on their agenda. One of the many considerations is that of financial hardship. Currently, there is a lack of financial assistance to tertiary students on study leave and not eligible for paid parental leave from employers.
Students who are parents continue to face discrimination in the form of lack of study and work flexibility, employment opportunity and equal pay. Women are disproportionately represented in these parenting groups as a result of their gender and carer status.
Local Member for Parliament, Senator Janet Rice, met the VMWS in 2018 and gave her support in addressing this issue and will take the matter further. The VMWS is hopeful that this primary issue of financial hardship being addressed by making provisions to Centrelink Youth Allowance will come to fruition.
University support
In 2018, the VMWS surveyed Victorian Universities to investigate what online and anonymous support they provided to students considering a family, have dependents already, are breastfeeding or are carers.
There certainly has been a positive cultural shift over the last five years to support studying parents openly. Still, there is room for improvement and consistency.
Most students are encouraged to approach departmental staff directly. However, our members have alerted us to the need for further formal, consistent, practical and easily accessible advice regarding their enrolment, student rights and support services offered by the University and government. In particular, it was apparent that there was little online information that students can access anonymously, thereby excluding students unaware of support services and hesitant in contacting the University for personal reasons, including fear of negative impact on career progression.
The VMWS has approached each Victorian University and recommended some tailored practical advice be available online and included in course handbooks. While these recommendations were generally received positively, some Universities felt they had made sufficient provisions already, even though they did not meet many (or any) of the website content recommendations.
The VMWS invites any member who is interested in assisting with monitoring the online parental support from universities to contact the VMWS. Any suggestions are welcome.
Below is a list of suggested statements that universities can use as a guide. This list has been created with medical students who are new parents but could be tailored to suit all disciplines and students who are carers, as well as those with disabilities and health issues.
Statement of support: The University and its clinical schools support students who are parents and carers.
- The University values the well-being of its students
- The University, Medical Faculty, and clinical schools support progressive attitudes to parenting, gender equality, and breastfeeding, and is opposed to bullying and harassment in the work/study place. Please let us know if you have any concerns about these attitudes not being realised by staff and colleagues or any other feedback you may have.
- The University welcomes any discussion regarding special needs, study flexibility, concerns. Please contact your Faculty/Clinical School to make an appointment to discuss how we can assist you. These interactions are treated as confidential and will not impact your grading/reports/career progression.
- The University supports breastfeeding. Family rooms are available onsite, as is access to fridges/microwaves/nappy changing facilities. These are located at (URL link to be provided). If these facilities are inconvenient or inappropriate, please let us know so we can arrange a suitable alternative.
- Financial advice and support can be discussed with the University Financial Support Services (URL link to be provided). There may be student loans or bursaries available (URL link to be provided). These appointments are free. Book an appointment at (URL link to be provided).
- There may be Centrelink entitlements available to you, including for childcare rebates – contact your local Centrelink for advice.
- Childcare during your studies – university childcare facilities may be, but advance applications are usually required (URL link to be provided). It is advised that you investigate and submit applications for local childcare facilities early – even early in pregnancy.
- Seeing your maternal and child health nurse after the birth of the child for health and development checks/education (URL link to be provided). They are a great source of information for many things including issues such as sleep (self and child), diet, exercise, childcare, social engagement, respite/occasional care (often run by the local council for minimal cost), and childhood vaccination programmes.
- The University encourages you to have a regular GP for your personal needs. If you do not have one, contact the University Health Service (URL link to be provided).
- The University offers personalised career support; speak with your department coordinator regarding mentoring programmes for guidance on career options.
Upon graduation, some considerations:
- (For medical students) Flexible medical training options such as part-time or job-share options are increasingly available.
- Contact hospitals before the PMCV matching process to discuss.
- Membership to The Australian Medical Association, HMO societies, Victorian Medical Women’s Society – for friendly and professional support and representation (URL link to be provided).
- Identify your hospital Employee Assistance Programme (for confidential workplace counselling and support), your GP, docs4docs (URL link to be provided).
- Find a mentor.
