From Classroom Dreams to Caregiving Realities: The Child Care Challenge for Student Parents
For student parents and caregivers, every day is a balancing act. It’s not just about juggling deadlines and textbooks—it’s a constant race against the clock, prioritizing both academic goals and caregiving responsibilities. Michelle, a caregiver and full-time student, knows this all too well:
“My classes start at 9 a.m., and by 2 p.m., I have to be there to pick up my god-nephew before the bus arrives. Every minute counts,” she says. “It’s tough to focus on my studies when I am always racing the clock. If I had access to affordable child care, it would make a huge difference. I could fully engage with my coursework, knowing my nephew is in a safe, supportive environment.”
Michelle’s experience gives a glimpse of the uphill battle student caregivers—whether they be parents, guardians, aunts, siblings or some other role—across the country face every day making sure the little ones in their family are cared for. Balancing coursework with caregiving isn’t just a matter of multi-tasking—it’s a constant grind that stretches them thin. Many are forced to make impossible choices: Do they skip class to care for their children? Drop a course to work more hours? Sacrifice their mental health to keep everything afloat?
While the data on student caregivers is limited—especially data on those in secondary schools—we know that one in five undergraduate students are student parents, totaling over 3 million students. Among student parents, nearly three-quarters are female (74%), and the majority are students of color (55%), a rate higher than the 51% of non-parenting undergrads of color.
The challenges of being a student caregiver go far beyond keeping up with classes. A whirlwind of assignments, exams, and caregiving duties can create relentless pressure. Time is a scarce resource as student caregivers balance classes with lactation breaks, lectures with diaper changes, study groups with school pickups, and late-night assignments with bedtime routines. By the end of the day, there is little room for rest or self-care.
On top of their roles as students and caregivers, many are also workers. Many student caregivers juggle part-time or full-time jobs to lessen the financial strain they face and cover the costs of child care. Without accessible and affordable care, they face tough choices: skip classes, reduce their course load, or push graduation further down the road. But these choices can delay career goals and even lead to higher tuition costs or a larger load of student debt. The emotional toll can be heavy, and student caregivers often report feeling isolated and overwhelmed. As Michelle puts it, “I’m a god auntie and student, balancing both roles every day.” Without proper support, the struggle to maintain this balance can lead to burnout, with student parents and caregivers struggling to succeed in their academic pursuits while meeting their children’s needs.
A NWLC survey found that more than half of pregnant or parenting students reported that not having access to child care was a barrier to attending school. The combination of school and work means that many student caregivers need child care outside of typical hours. For example, only 8% of center-based child care programs offer care before 7:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. Many student parents rely on friends or family members to care for their children. Informal child care systems can be incredibly helpful, but conflicting work schedules or unexpected illnesses also can render them unreliable and stressful for student caregivers. It’s not that caregivers aren’t “trying hard enough” to make it work; their caregiving and school schedules are truly incompatible.
Even child care programs with traditional hours can be inaccessible for student parents: They have long waitlists, generally have more rigid hours, and may be too expensive. Annual costs of full-time child care for just one child range from $5,700 to $25,500 (depending on the age of the child, the type of care, and the location). Such high costs can be prohibitive for student parents—and eligibility standards and availability of child care assistance vary state to state. Plus, understanding and navigating governmental assistance programs can be complicated and very time-consuming for student parents who already have limited time.
When affordable child care options are not accessible to student caregivers, they are forced to make concessions, sacrificing their financial stability, academic success, and personal well-being. The resulting stress can take its toll on student parents and the family as a whole.
It doesn’t have to be this way. We have seen what is possible with additional government funding: Pandemic child care relief funding reduced waitlists and expanded access to affordable care. But now, with that funding gone, families are once again feeling the financial strain.
Student parents should not have to choose between their education and providing care. Congress can create lasting change by prioritizing robust, long-term funding for child care to build a system that is sustainable, equitable, affordable, and widely available to all families who need it—including student parents and caregivers.
To improve the livelihoods and educational outcomes of parenting student caregivers, we need to fully understand their needs. Policymakers can get started by collecting comprehensive data on student parents and the systems and support they need to thrive in all their roles.
As Michelle puts it, “Affordable child care isn’t just a convenience; it’s the foundation for success.
