Care leavers/looked after children
How can I include looked after children/care leavers in my access agreement?
People who have spent time in local authority care are severely under-represented in higher education. They face cumulative and significant barriers to entering higher education including lower attainment, lack of positive role models, low expectations from carers and advisers, low aspirations and a lack of confidence in the affordability of higher education. Only about seven in 100 of young people who are in care aged 16 actually continue into higher education by the age of 19.
Research has shown that some of the difficulties faced by care leavers with regard to applying for and being at university include:
- lack of information and advice prior to and at the point of application to university
- lack of information on support available at university
- difficulty accessing the necessary financial support
- problems with accommodation
- low levels of personal and emotional support from professionals
- lack of personal support networks
- low levels of confidence to self-identify and ask for support pro-actively.
We encourage you to highlight any access and retention activity for care leavers throughout your access agreement and in your targets and milestones. We are particularly keen to hear about support for care leavers in the following areas:
- raising aspirations and achievements (e.g. working in partnership with local authorities/Health and Social Care Trusts, further education colleges, schools and other relevant organisations)
- admissions procedures
- providing information, advice and guidance (IAG), entry and ongoing pastoral, accommodation and financial support
- monitoring participation and activity
- raising of awareness of issues/barriers affecting care leavers across all university staff and departments
- IAG and support measures designed to help care leavers progress to employment or postgraduate study.
You can include the costs of these activities in your access agreement. We encourage you to develop your provision based on the principles of the Buttle UK Quality Mark framework or a similar standard. We are happy to discuss any proposed measures in advance of you submitting your agreement if you would find this helpful (contact your institution’s key policy adviser).
Resources
These resources may be helpful when designing your care leaver activity:
- the 2013 Buttle UK Quality Mark evaluation report which makes a series of recommendations to improve levels of support across all institutions
- the Buttle UK framework which provides a structure and guidance on developing support across four areas of criteria
- the Who Cares Trust Higher Education Handbook
- National Network for the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL) Supporting Care Leavers in FE and HE: A guide for those taking on the role of Care Leaver Contact
- the JISCMail Care Leavers in HEI network
- the 2015 Supporting Professionalism in Admissions guide Using admissions to bridge the gap for care leavers.
What state support is available for care leavers?
The Government acknowledges the problems that looked after children face in accessing higher education. Under the Children and Young Persons Act 2008, care leavers starting a recognised higher education course are entitled to a minimum one-off bursary of £2,000 from their local authority. This is in addition to anything else care leavers receive under the state support system of grants and loans.