Erin Barnes is a third year Law student at Queen’s University Belfast. Last year, she was elected to Chairperson of the Student Parent and Carers’ Association, a student led campaign and community network.
Erin speaks here about the challenges faced by parents and carers while studying, and the work she’s been doing as the Chairperson of the Association.
What are some of the challenges faced by student parents and carers at Queen’s?
Student parents and carers at Queen’s face a complex mix of pressures that often fall outside the typical student experience. Many struggle with rigid timetabling and limited flexibility, where lastminute changes or compulsory in person sessions clash with childcare, school runs, or medical appointments.
Financial strain is another major issue, with childcare costs rising and limited capacity to take on parttime work, leaving families stretched and stressed. On top of this, student parents and carers often feel isolated or invisible within the wider student community, as university culture is rarely designed with them in mind.
Institutional systems can add further barriers, with policies around attendance, extensions, and mitigating circumstances not always reflecting the unpredictable realities of caring responsibilities.
All of this is layered with the emotional and practical challenge of balancing multiple identities, parent, carer, student etc while managing wellbeing, exhaustion, and the constant pressure to meet competing demands.
What inspired you to get involved in the Parents and Carers Association as Association Chair?
I could see a real gap in support and visibility for student parents and carers at Queen’s. Even as someone balancing my own studies and personal wellbeing, I’ve felt how hard it is to keep going when life gets heavy and it made me think about how much more challenging it must be for those juggling fulltime caring responsibilities on top of their degree.
Stepping into the Chair role felt like the right way to make a difference. I’ve always been passionate about advocacy, standing up for students, and pushing for fair treatment and better systems. The Association gives me a platform to support people who are too often overlooked, to fight for their rights, and to build a community where they feel seen, valued, and genuinely supported.
How have you approached the role?
I have focused on building visibility, community, and institutional understanding of the challenges. Over the past year, I have delivered a range of initiatives aimed at creating safe spaces, amplifying student voices, and driving meaningful change.
I have hosted multiple stalls in the Students’ Union to raise awareness of the Association and signpost students to support. I also represented the Association at the Carers’ Support Fair, where services from across Northern Ireland came together to offer guidance. This provided an invaluable opportunity to connect directly with student carers, listen to their experiences, and ensure they felt seen and supported.
A key part of my work has been the biweekly meetups I cohost with Lynsey McEvoy. These sessions give student parents and carers a relaxed, welcoming space to meet, chat, and share experiences. Many students have told us that this is the first time they’ve felt part of a community that understands their pressures.
Alongside this, I am an active member of the Union’s Executive Management Committee and Student Council, where I consistently advocate for the rights and needs of student parents and carers. This includes highlighting gaps in institutional policy, pushing for better communication of support, and ensuring that student carers’ voices are represented in decision making.
What’s been your biggest achievement to date?
My involvement in the MHLS International Women’s Day event. I delivered a talk on my experience as Association Chair, hosted an information stall, and chaired a panel discussion with both student and staff parents and carers.
The event was eye opening for many attendees, particularly in revealing the stark differences between staff and student experiences. It helped open the eyes of staff to the day to day and structural challenges faced by student parents and carers, and it has already sparked further work, including a planned survey to gather evidence and drive institutional change.
What’s next?
I am working on building a partnership with the charity Support 2Gether, which supports women experiencing postnatal depression and anxiety. My goal is to establish them as a permanent presence at Queen’s, ensuring that student parents—especially mothers—have access to specialist, compassionate support. I am proud of the progress made and committed to continuing to strengthen the support available for student parents and carers at Queen’s.
For more information and to sign up to the Association visit the Student Parents’ and Carers’ Students’ Association homepage.
