The University of Sydney extends academic support to student carers

Caitlin O’Keeffe-White

The University of Sydney has updated its academic support for students with caretaking responsibilities, extending special considerations and academic plans, in a significant decision for student carers, who have historically been left with no formal academic support at the University.

Students who find themselves unexpectedly having primary carer duties will now be able to apply for special considerations, with a statutory declaration or practitioners’ certificate being needed as supporting documentation. Although this is a positive step, the special considerations drop down menu which lists the reasons for applying still does not have an option that clearly aligns with caretaking.

More promising, and what repeatedly has come up in Honi’s conversations with student carers, is the option for students with ongoing caring responsibilities to access ongoing academic support in the form of an academic plan. Previously only offered to students with disabilities, academic plans are now being offered for students with caretaking duties too.

These changes follow years of advocacy for more support for student carers from student representative bodies, SUPRA and the SRC.

Khanh Tran, a SRC Disability and Carers Officer, said, “We welcome the news that student carers are now able to access timetable adjustments and special considerations recognising the impact of care responsibilities, including Academic Plans under Inclusion and Disability Services. This will go some way towards addressing the burnout that student carers face when juggling academics, care responsibilities and work.

“Unpaid care duties and work contribute an enormous amount to Australian society and indeed, our economy, estimated at some $77.9 billion in 2020. Billions of hours of unpaid care often goes unacknowledged in our university community and it’s time that student carers are adequately recognised.

“There remains a significant amount of work that the University needs to do to ensure that it is a genuinely inclusive institution, especially cost of living pressures facing students as this puts immense strains on not only carers but other marginalised communities on campus.”