Gender equity for student parents in higher education at an English further education college

This small-scale research project explores policy and staff perspectives which affect student parents in higher education at an English further education college. Drawing on Nancy Fraser's work on the welfare state and the social organisation of care work, the paper examines approaches to a marginalised student group. Qualitative data were collected via a desk-based policy search and semi-structured individual interviews with key female members of staff. Findings indicate that official approaches were broadly based on a gender equality model. Policy blindness to gender and care work affects student parents in higher education and their socioeconomic status. The research concludes that staff attitudes reveal an institutional approach to student parents which is based on difference but is more caring than the policies themselves signify.