Hey MobileKat,
Just thought i'd share my thoughts with you, as I've been in a similar situation previously.
As a previous healthcare manager, and now a hairdressing student, I can tell you that there is a lot of help available for home care/assisted home living available for people (which is usually free, following the assessment of a health visitor/District nurse) You should contact your local social services and ask them to put you through to the department for vulnerable adults and assisted independent home care. Someone might be able to help. Even if this is a few hours a week, it takes the extra stress off of you.
Now, to the funding/NVQ level 3 problem. You won't get funding, due to your age and student loans are only available for those doing higher education courses i.e. level 4 - 7 (university level). Right, so now we've established you won't get funding, get over it!........are you over it?........ok, good! Now we can look at ways to earn extra money for your course.
If you are looking for September start, this may prove difficult, however, not impossible. You say you find it difficult to work because of your mother in law? Is there nobody in your family (or your husband's) that can take care of her for a day while your at college/working? I think you might be quite surprised at how much you can do in the time off between 1 day family member caring for your mother in law and combined with home visits from carers from social services. Another thing to mention also is that colleges don't ask you to pay the whole thing up front and as colleges generally take at least a year to complete an NVQ, you could pay this over the space of a year with a small deposit. ALSO! don't forget you've got your level 2 and could do friends and family's hair for extra cash from time to time. I'm sure if you sat down with your partner and worked out the cost of those few extra chineses/Indians/Chip shop meals you have per month and saved the money, budget your food/entertainment bill over a month or two, you'd be surprised at how much you can save.
However you do it, you'll need to earn some money, even if it's just a small amount, i.e. one day a week and a few cuts/styles for friends and family. This, plus budgeting from your monthly food/entertainment/outings should just about cover your fees over a year period.
I was in a similar situation not so long ago. Couldn't afford college as only my partner worked and i found it impossible to get a job due to the location we live in. I was DESPERATE to go do my level 2 (yep, i had to pay full fees without even the government subsidised bit that normal fee payers get) so my level 2 cost me just short of 4 grand and i will have to do the same again for level 3) but i sold all the crap in my house i could do without and paid my college fees. Now i'm loving it, managed to get myself a little part time job along side it and have big plans for when i've finished.
The moral to this story is.....when you want something desperately enough, there's always a way if you WORK HARD for it! Sat on your arse moaning will get you nothing. If you put your mind to it, you can do this on your own without feeling hopeless and depressed.
Think about some of the points i've mentioned and really give some thought to assisted home living. Perhaps chat to your partner about it? Either way, you need to consider yourself in this, not just your partner's mother. As harsh as that may sound, it's the truth m'deary.
Best of luck to you love, let us know how you get on
