Recognise and redress the disadvantages faced by mothers in academia

Sandra Clare

As a former young-student-mother, I found studying while parenting challenging and isolating. I did not have the time or energy to tackle larger societal issues. However, as now much older-student-mother, with over two decades of experience in community education, I approach research fuelled with a fervent commitment to addressing such inequalities.

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Mothering inevitably magnifies intersectional inequalities, yet these hurdles remain largely unnoticed within academia, because many universities and funders are unaware of the number of individuals balancing academic pursuits with raising children.

Now is the time to...

• gather purposeful data on students and scholars raising children – including age and circumstance;
• leverage meticulously collected data to identify tailored local solutions, encompassing childcare options, optimised timetables, and efficient transportation arrangements;
• conduct further research with students raising children to identify necessary adjustments to local policies;
• lobby for national and international recognition for the duality of roles.

Find out more

• Clare, S. (2023) 'What do Home Office plans to remove dependent student visas reveal about the invisibility of student-parents?' BERA Blog

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• Learn more about the University's policy engagement institute, Policy@Manchester, which connects researchers with policymakers and influencers, nurtures long-term policy engagement relationships, and seeks to enhance stakeholder understanding of pressing policy challenges