midwifery course perth?

i have decided in 2011 i would like to go to uni to study midwifery but have a few concerns/questions i hope you guys can help with:

- as far as i can see its only curtin that offers a straight midwifery course, is this correct? also ive *heard* its very hard to get into, my TER was 82 but do they use my TER if im now considered mature age student ? (im 23)

im wondeing maybe i should do a nursing course first 3 yrs then 1 yr midwifery rather than the 3 yr midwifery course?

also do you get any govt support...do they do austudy if yor already on a single parent pension, or do you get the choice of having a HECS debt?

DD will be about 20 months by the time i would start, do you think this is too young for me to be putting her into part/full time daycare?

agh so confusing!!
TIA

Hey Emma, just came across this post. I believe Curtin is the only Uni that does a straight Midwifery degree.

ECU have recently changed their course structure to a double degree so you would end up with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery at the end of 4 years (full time). The Nursing and Midwifery subjects are done simultaneously.

I'm pretty sure that you'd get HECS/HELP as it's an undergraduate course and you would probably be able to get some Austudy as well. Not sure how it works these days. Your best bet is to give the uni's a call about the HECS/HELP and Centrelink about the Austudy. The uni and TISC will be able to tell you about the TER/mature age stuff. I did uni when it was still TEE based so it's all changed and I have no idea how it works now!

As for daycare, that's entirely what you would feel comfortable with. I *think* some uni's have a creche so you could also ask them about that.

HTH.

Good Luck!

Sorry I can't help with all the Q's, the only one I can help with is that yes Curtin does have a long day care centre, yes it is a fantastic centre (imho) and even if you just *think* you might/possibly need care, put DD's name on the waiting list now, as it's hard to get into. However staff and students get preference over community families, and her being nearby on campus will be much more comforting for both of you. It's better to be offered a position and not need it, then need it and not have it iykwim.

Most full time courses nowadays aren't generally 5 days either, so you may be able to work your timetable to fill a few days a week, so you won't need to put her in full time care (if you choose that option). I personally don't think it's too young for a few days a week, others will, but you really just have to see how it goes for you two - some chn respond really well to the care environment and some dont. Same goes for parents. But I can see how it is a really heartbreaking and hard decision to make.

Good luck!

Just thought Id let you know that UNI SA do midwifery by distance learning. Not sure on their pre requesits (sp) etc but may be something else you want to look into. They also offer Div 1 Nursing via distance learning as do Central Queensland Uni.
HTH

When I was doing Nursing at uni I was on a single parent pension. I got an extra $60 a fortnight for a study allowance. I am sure you have to be a full time student to get this not part time (or maybe part time you get half) that was year 2001-2003 so its probably gone up abit since then.
I did midwifery as a registered nurse so I was getting paid an RN's wage then not needing gov assistance.
I agree with the others as to the daycare question. My DD started daycare at 3months so I could study but I was lucky in the fact that although she went 5days a week (so I could go to lectures) it was usually between 2-4hrs a day so not full on and in my holidays (which were for 6months of the year) she didn't go to daycare (but I still had to pay. I got full subsidy for daycare so it wasn't alot of money even if she didn't go)

Good luck with that Emma!
I think 20 months is probably an ok age to start daycare - it all depends on the kid of course.