Care Experienced and Estranged Students (CEES)
Are you a care leaver, care experienced, estranged, have experience of supported foyer accommodation, or in kinship care? If so, there is a great deal of support available to you at Edge Hill University.
We know that starting university and maybe moving to a new place can be exciting, but also feel like a big change. You might have questions about everything you need to do before you get here, and once you get here. We’ve got a Student Support Team at Edge Hill to support you through your journey as a CEES student.
You may also wish to access support to help you navigate the challenges that come with university life, connecting you to support and services to help you succeed.
If you’ve got some questions or you’re after some extra support, drop the team an email at [email protected].
Supporting you
The Student Support Team
The Student Support Team are on hand to support you. At Edge Hill we’ll be here to support you from the very start of your studies or apprenticeship programme. You can even access support before you get here. There’s also pastoral support available whilst you’re here.
If you are struggling or need additional support from our Wellbeing or Money Advice Teams, we’ll connect you with them for extra support.
You can also make use of our Careers service to help get you on the right tracks for jobs after you graduate.
The Careers team
When you study with us, you’ll have access to our Careers Team. You can chat to the team about employability opportunities during and after your studies. And the support doesn’t stop after your graduate. You can keep in touch with the team for three years after you graduate.
As a care experienced or estranged student, you are part of the widening participation group. This means you get access to ‘Get Ahead’ appointments with the Careers Team. In these appointments you can:
- get the support you need to help you reach your goals
- get support writing your CV
- get support making job applications
- chat about anything careers related
‘Get Ahead’ appointments are 30 minutes long and will be with your dedicated Employment Adviser, Clare Brown. Clare will also support you in accessing additional guidance from a Careers Adviser when needed.
Book an appointmentThis appointment type is available to students who are identified in the University’s Access and Participation Plan. If you feel that you should be able to book one of these appointments but can’t, please submit an ‘Ask a Question’.
The Student Support Fund
Don’t struggle in silence. If you’re ever financially struggling and are worried you can’t afford to stay at university, there’s a Student Support Fund on offer for eligible students. The fund offers non-repayable awards and emergency support for students in financial difficulty.
Find out more about the Student Support FundStaff resources
Staff can access support via the ‘Supporting Staff to Support Students’ webpages.
Useful definitions
Statutory care leavers are young people aged 16-25 years old who have been in the care of the Local Authority for a period of 13 weeks or more spanning their 16th birthday.
Care experienced students are those who have spent time in care during childhood. Often, young people will not be classed as care leavers because they left care (for example, through adoption or returning to their family) before their 16th birthday.
Estranged students are young people who have no communicative relationship with their biological parents. Often, they do not have contact with their wider family networks.
Foyer students are people between the ages of 16-25 who have accessed Foyer or other Supported Housing Organisations due to homelessness or the risk of becoming homeless.
Kinship care students are people who have spent short or long periods of time being cared for by other relatives, like grandparents, uncles or siblings, or by other adults who have a connection to the child, such as neighbours or a close friend of the family.
Support available to you
There is a range of support available to you at Edge Hill. Take a look at the links below for more information.
Getting in touch
If you’d like to ask us any questions or let us know about anything, get in touch at [email protected].
You can also arrange for a meeting with us and your personal adviser, support worker or supporter too.
Useful resources
WellbeingStudent ServicesThriving & Surviving UK: Estranged and Care Experienced Student Handbook (EaCES)Rees Foundation – Helping care experienced people thriveStudent Space, by Student MindsBecome Care Advice LineJoin the Students' Union CEES SocietyEdge Hill University is committed to supporting this student group, as shown through our Care Leaver Covenant Signatory, Pledge with Stand Alone and National Network for the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL) Quality mark award in recognition of our ongoing commitment to achieve the best outcomes for students with experience of care.
