Young people were asked their opinions about support for learning at home and within their families, recognising that the family is a major influence on young people’s lives and success at school. They discussed the importance of practical support and a physical environment that facilitated studying but also, crucially, the support of parents in encouraging their children by giving them confidence and pushing them ‘to do the best they can do’:

“I think support’s really important because if your family is not supportive it’ll make you feel less loved and less confident and just make you feel really, really bad.”

Poverty within the family could reduce the level of access young people had to the resources they needed to learn at home:

“[Teachers] give us homework on the internet. Which doesn’t help some people [if] they don’t have internet.”

“When my computer had a virus it’s been a nightmare because I can’t go down to the library because my dad’s got to use the cars and the vans for work and my mum can’t drive, so I can’t go and get books. And it says ‘homework’ so we’re not allowed to do it in school.”

Homework support from family appeared to be of high importance:

“My uncle, my auntie, my mum and my big sister [help]. And my wee sister tries to help me. My big brother, I get help from him.”

Young people discussed a number of barriers to receiving support from the family at home:

“Because they might not have got to learn it when they were at school.”

Young carers carry additional burdens:

“And if you’re a carer as well. Like with poverty as well, when you have to look after your mum as well and you’re in poverty and you have to do all that kind of thing, it’d be hard. Really hard.”

Parents’ employment patterns could impact on the support they were able to give their children:

“Sometimes like, if your mum and dad aren’t in that day or like if both of them work at the same time or they work night shift… and there’s tons of other things that can affect if you can ask them or not.”

“It’s just because your parents can’t afford it and maybe, they don’t have so much time to actually like, give you what you need because they’re busy with, like, work, because they need to work more if they don’t make as much money.”

Young people were aware that those from families on low income were entitled to free school meals:

“Well, free meals are actually, like, there for a person because people can’t afford…”

And recognised that skipping breakfast had an impact on students’ ability to learn:

“Aye, if you don’t eat then you’ve not got the energy and you can’t think.”