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Social work student - pregnant!

I’ve just found out I’m pregnant. I’m a mature student, married and already have two children. I don’t get any help from benefits and I am finically stable before anyone starts.
I’m only in my first year but my due date will be in September start of second year and placement! Obviously this wasn’t planned but i will not consider abortion. Has anyone been in a similar situation and been able to do their placement earlier through summer? I don’t want to take a year out I’ve waited long enough to go to university. Thanks
Original post by Anonymous
I’ve just found out I’m pregnant. I’m a mature student, married and already have two children. I don’t get any help from benefits and I am finically stable before anyone starts.
I’m only in my first year but my due date will be in September start of second year and placement! Obviously this wasn’t planned but i will not consider abortion. Has anyone been in a similar situation and been able to do their placement earlier through summer? I don’t want to take a year out I’ve waited long enough to go to university. Thanks


It's very unlikely that this would be possible. Summer holidays would not likely be long enough for an entire placement, and trying to squeeze in lots of extra hours whilst heavily pregnant is a very bad idea. You would likely be required to take a certain amount of maternity leave by the university.

Your best course of action is to meet with your course leaders and tutor as soon as possible to discuss your options. They will have a policy in place and this must be followed. You may be able to rejoin a March or January cohort, but I think expecting to have to take a year out would be sensible.
Reply 2
Hi there. I gave birth to a preemie (born at 28 weeks) in June, he was still in NICU when i started my degree in Sept (couldnt defer as this was the last year that course fees were 3k!!) I got pregnant again at the end of my first year. I started my placement three months after giving birth to my second baby- i was pumping milk every three hours during placement (my placement supervisor was the most amazing and supportive man). I did my placement two days a week and over the summer holidays i upped it to three/four days just so i can complete it. I came into year 3 and found out i was pregnant again (I was three weeks into my third placement)
I managed to finish it and went to my first social work interview (three weeks later) one week from my due date.
I got the job and was told i could start when i wanted.
So ten weeks later- with a newborn, a 1.5 year old and a 3 year old i started by first social work job and have been here ever since :smile:

It is hard work, but it can be done :smile: Best of luck

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