Finding resources that help single moms go to college
December 7, 2012
Balancing the various aspects of motherhood with the trials of running a house, working a job and going to school can be difficult for any woman. While college scholarships help balance out the expense of participating in higher education, other obligations can pop up due to this additional time out of the house. Finding ways of defraying these financial complications can make maintaining a good grade point average easier for single moms.
Tending to children
Daycare is a common need for single parents who have to be away from home for long periods of time during the day, but these facilities are usually expensive. Some of these providers will offer financial aid for moms that are full-time students, as is the case with the Princeton Community Family Learning Center in Princeton, N.J.
The Princeton Patch reported that the facility is offering seven single mothers the chance to win free child care and reduced daycare services for a year. Applicants must be enrolled in Child Care Connection, a state-run organization dedicated to providing services and programs to families with young children in need.
Similar programs are available on a state-by-state basis, offering insight on where to find reduced healthcare and daycare services, as well as support for single moms and other parents trying to balance work with family and college.
One-stop care
Some universities even offer child care services, with reduced rates for those whose parents are full-time students. The Daily Star reported that the State University of New York (SUNY) at Delhi offers this kind of program for SUNY students in Delaware County, N.Y. The facility was also just registered as a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and special education site. These kinds of accreditations can give single moms peace of mind when leaving their children in the care of school-run structures, while also providing the added benefit of being able to see their kids throughout the day.
What's more, by having children attend daycare on campus or nearby, the cost of transportation can be greatly reduced. For single moms counting on college scholarships to keep them in school and working one or more jobs besides, this can be a huge relief and further motivation to attend classes.
