Students who are carers

Source: https://student.sussex.ac.uk/wellbeing/living/carers Parent: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/student-life/commuting

Find out how we can support you if you are caring for someone.

Caring responsibilities

A carer is anyone who has a commitment to providing unpaid care to a family member or friend who could not cope without their support. This may be due to illness, disability, a mental health issue, or substance misuse.

Advice and support for carers

We understand that balancing your studies with caring responsibilites can be difficult. If you are finding balancing the requirements of your course with caring responsibilities a challenge, you can get support from:

your school advisor – you can discuss way to make your course manageable. Speak to your School’s team to find out how to access this support
the Student Centre – you can get confidential, pre-booked appointments (in-person or via Zoom) on a range of issues. There are also drop-in sessions, events and other activities throughout the year.
the Students' Union – which exists to support the experience of all students, with elected Student Officers and Reps, clubs and societies, events, flexible employment opportunities and more.

Accessible spaces on campus

Most central buildings on-campus are open to all, including those you are caring for. You can see some of the spaces available on campus below.

Parking on campus

Although most other students are not eligible to apply for campus parking, exceptions may be made for students with caring responsibilities. Select parking spaces are reserved for carers until 10am.

Find out more about parking on campus.

Accessible routes

You may need to know about step-free routes. The campus map shows the locations of all buildings, including locations of steps, steep slopes and lifts, and AccessAble can provide more detail on specific buildings.

Accessible toilet facilities

Accessible toilet facilities can found across campus, including in:

the Library
the Meeting House
Bramber House
the Health Centre
Jubilee building (next to car park 7).

There is a Changing Places toilet located in the Student Centre (ask at the reception desk).

Cafes on campus

There are spaces to relax and eat across campus. If you are looking for somewhere to relax with your family, with accessible toilet facilities nearby, you could try:

Attenborough Centre for Creative Arts (ACCA) café
Library café (at the front of the campus)
Botanical Café in Jubilee (near car park 7).

You can also visit the Meeting House which offers informal support for the whole Sussex community, of all ages, of all faiths and none. There is a lobby area where you can relax and a small kitchen with microwaves and a kettle.

Getting involved in campus life

There are a huge range of activities taking place across campus, so there’s something for everyone. Find out more about getting involved in our activities and events.

Finances

Find out where to get financial support if you are studying and caring for someone.

Local services

You can get support from the Carers Hub (from Brighton & Hove City Council and the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group) where you will find a range of services for carers in Brighton & Hove.

You have a right to a carer’s assessment if you provide unpaid support to someone who could not manage without your help. It can be a useful first step in helping you to understand your situation and the needs you may have. You can use Carers Hub to find information about services and request a carers assessment. You can also find local services that support carers (Health and Adult Social Care directory).\ \ If you live outside of Brighton see information from West Sussex County Council or East Sussex County Council.