eSTEeM Seminar Series: Developing ‘good’ support for student carers

Location: Via Microsoft Teams
Contact

Mary Larkin, Professor of Care, Carers and Caring, WELS

Abstract

In addition to being able to meet carers needs because of its systemic features (e.g. its open access entry policy, the flexibility the design of our online learning resources and courses affords student carers to balance caring and studying), the OU has made considerable strides in terms of developing bespoke carer support in recent years. The project outlined in this presentation is about a two-phase Research and scholarship project recently undertaken by members of the OU’s Carer research group which aimed to better understand how to improve existing carer support for the growing numbers of OU students who are carers. The key themes that emerged over the course of the project are explored in order to foreground realistic and achievable ways in which ‘good’ support for student carers can be further developed.

Biography

Dr Mary Larkin is Professor of care, caring and carers in WELS. She has considerable experience of carer research and knowledge exchange, publishing widely; regularly leading funded projects; undertaking (national and international), consultancies, PhD supervision and examination, Advisory posts, and Commission Panel and national and international (professional, government and public) body membership. She is committed to maximising the potential of the carer-related knowledge and evidence base to inform policy, services and interventions to support carers and improve outcomes for them. To this end she set up an international carers research network; co-founded the International Journal of Care and Caring, co-produced the Social Care Institute for Excellence ‘Carers’ hub’, and set up a Carer-related knowledge Exchange Network. Within the OU, she established and chairs the Care and Caring network @OU. This network spearheads institutional changes for student and staff who are carers and also includes a very active cross-university Carer research group (50+ members). Amongst this groups many achievements is the extension of the OU’s research portfolio to include research and scholarship that informs support and retention of student carers.

Registration

Each seminar will be recorded and followed by an (optional) online evening discussion on the first Thursday of each month where OU colleagues are invited to come together and discuss in more detail the issues raised in the previous week’s seminar. To confirm your online attendance to the seminar and/or online discussion, please visit the registration page by Monday 27th September.

This seminar is open to OU staff.