Engaging Family Carers Across Ireland in Higher Education: A Case Study of a Collaborative Initiative Between Family Carers Ireland and the Faculty of Lifelong Learning at South East Technological University

Oct 15, 2026

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This practice-based case study examines how a university and the voluntary sector co-created an accredited Level 6 programme to expand access to higher education for first-generation learners. In 2018, the Faculty of Lifelong Learning at South East Technological University partnered with Family Carers Ireland to design and deliver a Level 6 Certificate in Family Caring for family carers across Ireland. From an equality perspective, 94% of participants were entering higher education for the first time. The paper evaluates context, literature, partnership delivery, and feedback to identify key learnings.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Background

The Project

Partnership Approach

Engaging Family Carers Across Ireland in Higher Education: A Case Study of a Collaborative Initiative Between Family Carers Ireland and the Faculty of Lifelong Learning at South East Technological University lindsay malone and catherine cox Abstract This practice-based paper provides a case study on co-creating a programme between a university and the voluntary sector. It analyses practical aspects of working in partnership to co-create an accredited programme to improve access to higher education for first-generation learners. In 2018, the Faculty of Lifelong Learning at South East Technological University set about working in partnership with Family Carers Ireland to focus on creating a transformative and holistic educational experience for family carers across Ireland. Working closely together, South East Technological University and Family Carers Ireland jointly developed and delivered a Level 6 Certificate in Family Caring aimed at formally recognising the role family carers play in the lives of their loved ones across Ireland. Importantly, from an equality perspective, for the overwhelming majority of participants (94%) this was the first time that they had participated in a higher education course. Keywords: Lifelong Learning, Family Carers, Co-creation Introduction In 2018, the Faculty of Lifelong Learning at SouthEast Technological University (SETU) set about working in partnership with Family Carers Ireland (FCI) . The aim was to create a transformative and holistic educational experience for family carers across Ireland. Together, SETU in partnership with FCI co-created and delivered a Level 6 Certificate in Family Caring in order to formally recognise the role family carers play in the lives of their loved ones across Ireland. This paper will begin by presenting the contextual background to the overall project. It will then examine the existing literature regarding family carers which informed parts of the development of the programme. The partnership approach taken by SETU and FCI will be examined before addressing the agile delivery schedule for the national project. To examine the effectiveness of the programme in meeting the needs of family carers, qualitative and quantitative feedback will be analysed before reflecting on the key learnings from this innovative project. Background SETU partnered with FCI in 2018 to develop and deliver a Level 6 (10 credit) Certificate in Family Caring for family carers throughout Ireland. FCI is a national charity that supports more than an estimated 500,000 family carers who care for loved ones such as children or adults with disabilities, frail older people, the terminally ill or those suffering from chronic illnesses or addiction (FCI, 2022a) . In financial terms, it is difficult to make an accurate estimate of the savings that might accrue to the State as a result of the unpaid contribution made by family and friends engaging in caring duties on a voluntary basis. Undoubtedly, however, due to the scale of the numbers of people involved it is likely to be very significant. An investigation by FCI correlates with the Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures that the profile of family carers reflects avery broad spectrum, with 52.7% aged between 40-59 years and with a further 67,000 young carers aged between 10-17 years (CSO, 2023) . Approximately 57% of family carers juggle their caring responsibilities with other paid employment. In addition, family carers in receipt of the Carer’s Allowance are only allowed to work or study for a maximum of 18.5 hours per week, which limits their potential income and their ability to access full-time education (FCI, 2022b) . The Project SETU proactively sought out and fostered a rewarding partnership with their local, regional and national family carers through FCI. The Certificate in Family Caring was a national project between FCI and SETU. The aim of the project was to support family carers from across the country to e

FAQs

What was the main goal of the initiative described in the case study?

To co-create and deliver an accredited Level 6 Certificate in Family Caring that improves family carers’ access to higher education across Ireland.

Which organisations collaborated on developing and delivering the programme?

South East Technological University’s Faculty of Lifelong Learning and Family Carers Ireland jointly co-created and delivered the Level 6 Certificate in Family Caring.

How did the programme affect participants’ first-time participation in higher education?

For the overwhelming majority of participants (94%), it was their first time participating in a higher education course.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Đào