Topic briefing
Last updated: 31 January 2022
Care experienced students and looked after children
Last updated: 31 January 2022
Resources
Videos
Webinar: Supporting learners with experience of children's social care in higher education
This webinar discussed the launch of TASO's report 'Supporting access and student success for learners with experience of children’s social care' (January 2021). The report found that learners with experience of children’s social care need more effective support to access and succeed in higher education.
Role models video: Care experienced students
The video features care experienced students from different universities offering impartial advice and insight for younger care experienced people who are considering their future study options and opportunities. It was developed by the Sussex Learning Network (part of the Uni Connect programme) in collaboration with NNECL (October 2020).
Supporting higher education participation for care leavers and other care-experienced young people
A short slideshow produced by the Rees Centre's Dr Neil Harrison summarising the seven steps that are needed to increase the number of care leavers and other care-experienced young people entering higher education in England (February 2021).
Reports and guidance
- Dr Zoe Baker: The Care-Experienced Graduates' Decision-Making, Choices and Destinations Project: Phase one report (November 2022)
This report explores findings from interviews with 23 care-experienced final year undergraduate and taught postgraduate higher education students. - Zoe Baker, Neil Harrison, Jacqueline Stevenson and Paul Wakeling: Patterns of postgraduate transitions amongst care experienced graduates in the United Kingdom (October 2021)
This article focuses on progression to postgraduate study for care experienced students. - NNECL: Universal Credit and HE Bursaries (August 2021)
This report clarifies the relationship of higher education bursaries and Universal Credit in relation to care experienced and estranged students that have completed their courses. - NNECL: Supporting care experienced students in English higher education: towards a more consistent approach (April 2021)
A feasibility study, including recommendations, on the potential development of a more consistent offer for care experienced students. - Office for Students: Consistency needed: Care experienced students and higher education (April 2021)
This Insight brief looks at the obstacles faced by care experienced students and how they can be addressed. - TASO: Supporting access and student success for learners with experience of children’s social care (January 2021)
This report found that learners with experience of children’s social care need more effective support to access and succeed in higher education. - Greater Manchester Higher (part of the Uni Connect programme): Care experienced consultation report (July 2020)
The consultation surveyed 20 care leaver students studying at various universities in Greater Manchester. The report provides valuable insights into the students' thoughts and feelings about the transition from pre-16 to post-16 study. It also includes recommendations for developing an approach to supporting care experienced young people. - Office for Students: Differences in student outcomes: further characteristics (June 2020)
This report explores the impact of care experience on outcomes in higher education. - Office for Students: Coronavirus briefing note: students without family support (May 2020)
This briefing note looks at the practical steps universities and colleges took to help students without family support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. - Office for Students: Coronavirus case studies and resources: students without family support (May 2020)
These case studies describe some of the ideas and practices that universities and colleges have put in place to respond quickly to the needs of students without parental support during the coronavirus pandemic. - Unite Foundation: Positive impact report (2020)
This report explores the factors affecting access, retention and graduate outcomes for university students with a background of care or family estrangement. - Department for Education: National statistics: Children looked after in England including adoption: 2018 to 2019 (2020)
These statistics provide information on looked-after children at both national and local authority levels for the financial year 2018-19. - Centre for Social Justice: 12 by 24 (2019)
This publication considers care leaver participation in higher education and sets out recommendations for providers to improve it. - The Leverhulme Trust: Pathways project findings report (2019)
This report explores the barriers care experienced students face in accessing university, and the support that helps them succeed. - Office for Fair Access (OFFA): Topic briefing on care leavers (December 2017)
This briefing gave an overview of the challenges and evidence around access, success and progression for care experienced students. It also highlighted best practice examples of how universities and colleges are working to support care leavers. - National Network for the Education of Care Leavers: Moving on up (November 2017)
This study provides an overall picture of the educational pathways of care leavers, supplemented by survey responses from 212 care experienced students in higher education.
Blog posts
- Care experienced students in higher education: Building a fuller (data) picture (December 2021)
The OfS and the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) have developed an improved HESA care leaver field to identify and record a broader range of students who have experienced being in care.
Organisations
- National Network for the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL)
NNECL is a network of higher education providers and national organisations committed to the progression and support of care leavers in higher education. - Rees Foundation Charity
The Rees Foundation is a registered charity to support care leavers and care experienced individuals and communities across the UK. - Become
Become is a charity that provides advice, support and opportunities for care experienced children and young people. - Unite Foundation
The Foundation is an independent registered charity offering accommodation scholarships for care leavers and estranged young people at university. The scholarship takes care of students’ accommodation and bills, covering up to three full years of study. - Propel
Propel provides care leavers with information on the support available to them from colleges and universities offering higher education courses across the UK. - Drive Forward Foundation
The foundation supports young adults leaving foster or residential care to achieve their full potential with sustainable employment opportunities through mentoring, one-to-one support and training. Through partnerships with employers, the foundation has developed work experiences, placements and internships that are particularly suitable for undergraduates seeking a nurturing and supportive environment to gain experience in a variety of sectors. - Buttle UK
Buttle UK provides grants and support to vulnerable young people. - The Care Leavers' Association
A national user led charity aimed at improving the lives of care leavers of all ages.
Published 27 July 2020
Last updated 13 December 2022 + show all updates
Last updated 13 December 2022 + show all updates
13 December 2022 - New report added to resources list
31 January 2022 - Links added to an OfS blog post, an article on postgraduate progression and The Care Leavers' Association
23 September 2021 - NNECL resource added
14 May 2021 - Unite Foundation and Drive Forward Foundation added to organisations
09 April 2021 - NNECL report and April 2021 Insight brief added
25 February 2021 - TASO webinar added
16 February 2021 - TASO report added
01 February 2021 - Video from Dr Neil Harrison added
12 November 2020 - Video added from Sussex Learning Network; link added to report from Greater Manchester Higher.
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