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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.   

The Student Support Team are the designated team for supporting care experienced and estranged students. We recognise that starting a course at university and moving to a new place can be exciting, but also overwhelming. You may find you have a maze of information and procedures to deal with, that’s why the Student Support Team are committed to offering you the extra support you might need throughout your studies. 

Got a question or need support? Please get in touch with us at [email protected].

Supporting you

The Student Support Team

The Student Support Team are on hand for support throughout your studies. If you are struggling or need to be put in touch with additional support from our Wellbeing or Money Advice Teams, we will refer and help to connect your support. 

We offer dedicated pre-entry support and guidance for applicants/those interested in studying at Edge Hill University, dedicated pastoral support from us throughout your studies, and bespoke support from our Careers service for advice and guidance on maximising your employability and planning your next steps following graduation. 

The Careers team

The Careers team are here to help you to develop your employability by offering opportunities to learn, gain transferable skills, and acquire relevant work experience. We encourage all students to use our services from your first year and for three years after you graduate so that we can help you to get the most out of your experiences whilst at University and prepare you for graduate employment.

Students who identify as being part of a Widening Participation group, including students who are care experienced or estranged, can have exclusive access to ‘Get Ahead’ appointments. In these appointments you can:

  • discuss additional career topics that may concern you
  • get the support that you need to reach your goals
  • support writing your CV
  • support making job applications

‘Get Ahead’ appointments are 30 minutes long and will be with your dedicated Employment Adviser Georgina Butler. Georgina will also support you in accessing additional guidance from a Careers Adviser when needed.

Book an appointment

This 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

The Student Support Fund provides non-repayable discretionary awards and emergency support to assist students in financial difficulty, who might otherwise be at risk of leaving their courses because of financial hardship.

Find out more about the Student Support Fund

Staff resources

Staff can access support via the ‘Supporting Staff to Support Students’ webpages

Useful definitions

Young people aged 16-25 years old who have been ‘looked after’ for at least 13 weeks by a local authority at some point since they were 14 years old and were in care on or after their 16th birthday.

A broader definition, encompassing all those who have spent time in care during childhood. Often young people will not be classed as care leavers because they left care (through, for example, adoption or returning to their family) before their 16th birthday.

Independent students have no communicative relationship with either of their living biological parents and often their wider family networks as well. Often these students do not have the same legal protections as care leavers; local authorities have no statutory responsibility for their welfare. Student Finance define estranged students as being ‘irreconcilably estranged from their parents’.

Students between the ages of 16-25 who have accessed Foyer or other Supported Housing Organisation due to homelessness, or at risk of becoming homeless. The Local Housing Authority or Supported Housing Association may refer to these young people as ‘Foyer or Supported Housing Associations students’.

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.

Finances
Accommodation
Supporting you
Getting involved