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Higher education decision making of Australian women with caring responsibilities

Published Date: 5.4.2023

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Theme: Planning and transitions

Sub-theme: Planning for the future

Higher education Women Carer education Literature review

Verification Statement

This publication / resource is hosted on a publicly available external link. If the full text is not publicly accessible, summary points are included and a contact method for the author(s) is provided, where available.

The summary information presented is based on content submitted by an author or other user
, along with publicly available information about the publication / resource added by the Carer Knowledge Exchange team.

All content is reviewed, edited and approved by the Carer Knowledge Exchange team, in line with our Submission Guidelines.


To report an issue or request a change, please complete our Feedback Form.

 

Theme: Planning and transitions

Sub-theme: Planning for the future

View Publication Higher education Women Carer education Literature review

Verification Statement

This publication / resource is hosted on a publicly available external link. If the full text is not publicly accessible, summary points are included and a contact method for the author(s) is provided, where available.

The summary information presented is based on content submitted by an author or other user
, along with publicly available information about the publication / resource added by the Carer Knowledge Exchange team.

All content is reviewed, edited and approved by the Carer Knowledge Exchange team, in line with our Submission Guidelines.


To report an issue or request a change, please complete our Feedback Form.

 

Higher education decision making of Australian women with caring responsibilities

Published Date: 5.4.2023

  • Author/ Authors

    Deborah Munro, Jill Willis, Andrew Gibson, Melinda Laundon

  • Suggested citation (APA 7th edition)

    Munro, D., Willis, J., Gibson, A., & Laundon, M. (2023). Higher education decision making of Australian women with caring responsibilities. Frontiers in Education, 8. 10.3389/feduc.2023.927792

Long Summary

This paper researched how caring responsibilities may influence how Australian women make decisions about tertiary education. There are a complex array of personal, cultural, and structural factors which may enable women's higher education decisions, such as the desire to achieve personal life goals, the encouragement and support of family members, and supportive workplaces. Many of these elements combined may influence the decision-making processes of female carers prior to tertiary enrolment.

    Key Messages for Carers


  • For individual women carers, forgoing tertiary studies can impact mental health and manifest in lowered self-esteem, and self-fulfilment, as well as identity issues. It can also result in restricted workforce opportunities, increased vulnerability to redundancy, early retirement, lower wages and superannuation, and a higher risk of poverty.
  • Generational overlap has increased demands on the 'sandwich' generation, which are middle-aged carers who face care responsibilities for both ageing parents and their children or grandchildren. This group of carers face increased health risks due to the higher burden of caregiving and consequent reduced self-care.

  • Key Messages for Policy Makers


  • Women face challenges such as competing time demands, continuing traditional gendered expectations, and idealised notions of higher education students as unencumbered.
  • Some important issues identified were the lack of a clear definition of a 'carer', as well as recognition of this cohort as an equity group, despite women contributing at least $10.9 trillion of unpaid labour annually to the global economy.

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The Carer Knowledge Exchange is led by Carers NSW and proudly funded by the NSW Government. It was established as a partnership between Carers NSW and the Institute for Public Policy and Governance (IPPG) at the University of Technology Sydney from 2021-2024. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.