Part of the process of adaptation was gaining support from others, including help from the family / household, employers / workplace and peers. Some of the women in my study planned for support prior to the degree, for example Jane described talking with her family.
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‘…I actually sat my mum and my mother-in-law down and my husband and my sister and I said I thought I wanted to do a degree and would they be able to support me…’ (Jane, Focus Group, page 80: 1951-1953)
Jane used this example to illustrate the importance of communication, found to be significant by Emery et al. (2017), who identified pre-planning with the family as a coping strategy. Variation in pre-planning amongst the women was evident and many only sought help when they were clearly unable to cope.
Variations in households influenced options around support. Those with younger children, such as Wendy and Charlotte, generally had more demands and less help, in contrast, Karen and Angela with older children received more support. Lone parent households, such as Simone and Pam experienced restricted help, without another adult’s support. For example Simone described the limitations she experienced:
’…possibly being a single parent as well, because you have not got another adult to give support, because possibly he could do some bits and take the children…..so maybe that is restricting as well’ (Simone, Interview, page 7: 325-327)
Whilst strategies were influenced by support options and household composition, household attitudes and the willingness of members to provide help influenced both support and the willingness to seek help. Personal choice and responsibility restricted the inclination to seek help, for example Simone described her attitude:
‘I chose to come into study…I chose to have my kids and my kids are my responsibility, a lot of people they might send them to a lot of clubs and send them to the grandparents…but they are my kids, they are my responsibility…..that’s my philosophy…’ (Simone, Interview, page 9: 433-436)
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Hence, role and responsibility associated with commitments influenced attitudes, showing similarity with the research findings of Gerson, (2009); Hochschild, (2000; 1989) and Oakley (1987). Personal responsibility meant the women did not expect help, for example Pam described her children being too young and inexperienced to understand her situation. Seeking help could entail compromise, for example Karen’s household shared tasks, responding to her previous debilitating back injury, yet she expressed frustration that the house was not always to her standard. Obtaining support could be complex and whilst it might be assumed husbands choose not to contribute, some of the women challenged this, with Wendy described her husband’s situation:
‘He does do housework… when he gets the time, but he works long hours and it is hard for him as well’ (Wendy, Interview, page 5: 238-9)
Understanding of the commitments of others was seen, for example, Pam made similar comments regarding her daughter, who was at college and worked part-time, and so had ‘a lot on’ (Pam, Interview, page 14: 673).
Restricted support and limited understanding from their family, was widespread amongst the women at different times. Pearl’s experience was noteworthy, causing her to go from one commitment to another, restricting her time for HE study. She described her husband ‘not wanting’ to understand her pressured situation, which Pearl expressed as the
‘difference between men and women’ (Pearl, interview, page 12:550-54). Williams (2000) located different attitudes amongst men and women, which lead women to take responsibility for the domestic role.
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As previously outlined guilt was expressed by the women concerned with the effects of study upon the family, although a number of benefits based upon change within families were noted. For example Pam described her son’s contribution being good for them both:
’It is teaching things…perhaps if I had not been studying [my son] wouldn’t have picked the pan up and started to cook…So because I have been studying it has encouraged him to cook’ (Pam, Focus Group, page 40: 982- 984)
Positive changes in relation to skills gained were also identified by Webber (2015) who found households contributed to domestic tasks as mothers engaged in learning. However, in my study there was variation in support and attitudes which reflected complexity
amongst the women and their households.
Employer / workplace support was significant to the women in my study and might have been expected as this Foundation degree was part of a government initiative. Foundation degrees were established by Higher Education Funding Council for England in 2000, responding to the Dearing Enquiry (1997) which stated UK economic competiveness was reduced due to gaps in knowledge and skills (Harvey, 2009). Employers were directly involved in curriculum design and Foundation Degrees had a remit to develop more knowledgeable and competent workers, in this case increasing quality in EYs provision (Higgins et al., 2010; Guile and Evans, 2010). In my study some women found workplace teams offered both morale and practical support, including facilitating attendance of the study day. Jane was very positive about her team, describing feeling appreciated, and Megan and Pearl had options around additional study days. Other workplace support included child care, for example Charlotte’s son attended her nursery and Jane’s daughter attended breakfast club, facilitating commitments in parallel. Pam was unusual, amongst
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the women being the nursery owner which lead to greater control and she employed a manager helping her become HE study focused. There were a number of positives gained for the supportive workplace, including loyalty and commitment to do a good job. While there were examples of support, some of the women did not feel understood by employers and colleagues experiencing limited workplace flexibility and acknowledgement. Service needs meant restricted flexibility and even when it was permissible, in reality it proved difficult. This was due to staff shortages which created reluctance amongst the women to place additional pressure upon teams. Much workplace support was informal and derived from the team and colleagues rather than employers.
Peer support through the University group was important, including a social function, having fun together, creating a network and bonding within the groups. Pearl expressed
experiencing increased confidence due to the group, and Pam described the interaction: ’It lifts you up’ (Pam, Focus Group, page 12: 289). The women described a network emerging which offered mutual encouragement and informal study skills support. For example Jane describing herself and Wendy as ’study buddies’, offering encouragement and studying together (Pam, Focus Group, page 17: 400). During the FG the women connected their continuation with HE study with fellow students:
Pam: ’We have bonded really well’
Jane: ‘Yeah we were having a chat the other night weren’t we?’ Pam: ‘And we were egging each other on…on the phone’
Wendy: ‘I don’t think any of us would have got through it’
Jane: ‘Yes I don’t think any of us would have got through it if we have not bonded like we have….you know…I want to come to see everybody you know…….I am dreading it ending in a way”
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Jane: ‘Yeah because we know each other inside out…We do know a lot about each other…we know all the problems don’t we?...Well I think that we trust each other don’t we?’
Pearl: ‘Yeah we do’ (Focus Group, pages 42-3, 1016-1027)
The women offered encouragement, morale support and practical aspects, such as shared books and resources. This reflected a co-operative rather than a competitive approach. The support was not just in relation to study but life, enabling success within the group and adaptation amongst the women. This included evidence of shifting strategies which I consider next.