Help Matthias finish his PhD: Keep R in daycare

**Edit: I have changed the goal from 3,600 to 4,800. The extra 1,200 would mean we could keep him in daycare for an additional 4 months, which would mean we wouldn't lose his daycare place while Matthias looks for work.

Hi, I'm Tineke. I'm the wife of an international PhD student and a mum to a wonderful three-year-old, "R". I'm asking for help to pay for daycare so my husband can finish his PhD in History. Like so many other PhD students with a child during the pandemic, Matthias lost about a year of his studies just to childcare. We also have only been able to afford part-time daycare. Now, available student loan funds have been used up, but we're still about 8 months short of the finish line. We are faced with withdrawing R from everything but the 15 hours per week covered by the UK government during school terms, just when Matthias is 'writing up' and under the most pressure.

We have tried and tried so many different working patterns and schedules, but writing academic chapters while responsible for a toddler doesn't work. Matthias doesn't have the option of reducing to part-time study because of visa status, and applying for an extension to his visa is too expensive. We see no way around the need for daycare.

I myself can't care for R because of my full-time position—our only income—which does not pay enough to cover daycare. The UK is the most expensive country for childcare in the world and as immigrants on a visa, we don't have access to most support.

This is the amount, in British pounds, that we need to place R in 7 hours of care a weekday for 8 months, by which time Matthias should be done and able to care for R while he looks for work.

Thanks for reading!

Photo taken with Matthias's family during the only visit that has been possible in R's three years of life!