Practices of inclusion for carers who are higher education students

The role of unpaid and informal care is a crucial part of the health and social care system in Australia and internationally. As carers in Australia have received statutory recognition, concerted efforts to foster engagement in carer participation in work and education has followed. However, little is known about the strategies and policies that higher education institutions have implemented to support the inclusion of carers. To address this lack of information, existing higher education institution policies were located to canvas supports available to student carers and identify organisational representative participants. Semi-structured interviews were then undertaken with staff from five higher education institutions to discuss their institutions' policies and their experiences as stewards of carer inclusion and support. Findings indicate difficulty in identifying carers, the infancy of inclusion policies, support measures that are similar to those for students with a disability and difficulties accommodating flexibility in rigid institutional settings. Findings were synthesised into a framework of strategies, policies and procedures of inclusion to support student carers in higher education.