Roberta Leem-Bruggen, a PhD student and mother of three, has spoken out about the lack of childcare support for parents in higher education, echoing concerns raised in a recent letter by Jamie Evans on childcare eligibility and the so-called 'nerd tax'.
A Personal Struggle
In 2020, Leem-Bruggen was a single parent studying for a clinical master's degree, spending over 40 hours a week on compulsory NHS placements while completing academic work. She received universal credit, including childcare support, which enabled her to continue her studies. However, halfway through her degree, she was told she had never been eligible for childcare support because she was not technically earning while on placements. She was required to repay close to £10,000.
Despite challenging the decision in court, the Department for Work and Pensions' original assessment was overturned, and she was legally obliged to repay the money. Although she effectively worked full-time in NHS settings providing unpaid patient care, she was considered a 'non-earner'.
Systemic Barriers
Now undertaking a PhD while raising three children and relying on her husband's income and her stipend, Leem-Bruggen fears that childcare costs may make her PhD financially impossible when she returns from maternity leave. Under the current system, many families cannot access meaningful childcare support if one parent is in postgraduate education rather than conventional paid employment.
The system increasingly makes higher education inaccessible to families without financial backing or relatives who can help. The message many parents receive is simple: you can have children or pursue higher education, but doing both is only realistic if you already have financial resources.
Leem-Bruggen's story highlights the urgent need for policy changes to support student parents and ensure equal access to higher education.
