Mum fumes as son, 3, is not allowed on Solent graduation stage

Janine Adamson, 38, has bought a cap and gown for her son Tommy, three, and hoped to share a “specular” moment graduating next Wednesday with 138,000 followers on TikTok.

Each Solent graduate is allocated two guest tickets, which Janine has given to her older son, 20, and her boyfriend.

In the additional requirements section of the booking, the mum of two said that her three-year-old son would be sitting on her lap during the ceremony so that he could walk the stage with her.

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“I then received emails to tell me that it’s not possible and that he would need his own ticket,” Janine told the Echo.

She later purchased an additional ticket, but was then told he would be “refused” from the venue if he tried to walk the stage.

Janine and Tommy Adamson sat inside The Spark at Southampton Solent University. (Image: Janine Adamson) “He was going to hold my hand, walk the stage, pick up my certificate and be done,” Janine said.

“They’re not allowing that. They’ve said it’s graduates only, not family members, and if they allow it for me, they’ll have to allow it for everyone else.

“Then they started saying about health and safety.”

Janine argued that Tommy has played a massive part in her university journey, and that he deserves to celebrate it too.

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She said: “I don’t have family. My mum died when I was 16, my brother died when I was 19. My children are all that I have.

“I’ve worked so hard to get here, but to be excluded and being told I can’t graduate the way I need to, I’m facing barriers.

“I was a 17-year-old single parent to my eldest. The barriers that I’m facing now are exactly the reason why I couldn’t go to uni then.”

Janine said she is not asking for “special treatment” and has since sent a complaint to the academic registrar to “formally express” her “disappointment and concern”.

“It sends a message that the ceremony is more concerned with rigid formality than with celebrating the full realities of what graduation represents for many students,” she said.

'Our policy is to only allow students' - Southampton Solent University's response

Janine said that Tommy has played a massive part in her university journey, as seen in this photo of Tommy taken after Southampton Solent University's Freshers Fair. (Image: Janine Adamson) A spokesperson for Southampton Solent University said: “All Southampton Solent Students are welcome to have their family and friends in attendance at our graduation ceremonies, we recognise that these are special moments and everyone should be able to share them with their loved ones.

“Out of respect for all those that are graduating, our policy is to only allow students on stage to collect their certificates.”

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The university confirmed that Janine has been offered to refund her own tickets and the ones purchased for her family members, but the mum said the “whole point” has been “ignored”.

“They can’t give me a valid reason why he can’t walk across the stage with me, apart from the fact it’s their policy, which is an outdated policy,” Janine said.

“Instead of dealing with it, they just want to refund me and not have me there.”