Care Experienced and Estranged Students (CEES)

Universities have a responsibility to support all Care Experienced and Estranged Students (CEES), which includes students who are care leavers, care experienced students, and estranged students. At Edge Hill we offer support across the student lifecycle for these student groups, we encourage these students to study at university, support them to succeed whilst at university, and to progress from university into graduate employment or further study. This is an important strand of the University’s Widening Access and Participation work and supports the delivery of our Office for Students regulated Access and Participation Plan.

The toolkit aims to help staff understand the challenges these students can often face in their higher education journeys, and what provision is available to help support them at Edge Hill University.

Edge 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.

Care Leaver Covenant

Pledge with Stand Alone

National Network for the Education of Care Leavers

Definitions regarding a care experienced, or estranged person are complex and are often open to different interpretations. When defining these student groups, the University uses guidance produced by the Office for Students and NNECL (National Network for the Education of Care Leavers).

Students from these groups can often choose to not self-declare their status for various reasons, including feelings of stigma and not wanting others to know about their background. However, at Edge Hill University, the number of students from these groups known to us has grown over time.

It is important to note, that as an academic member of staff, including being a Personal Tutor, unless a student chooses to disclose to you whether they are estranged, a care leaver or care experienced, you currently would not be provided with this information.

What To Say/Do	What Not To Say/Do
Use the term ‘supporters’ rather than family, parents, or mum and dad where possible. For example, ‘we’re looking forward to seeing our students and their supporters at Graduation!’	Avoid making reference to phrases that assume all students have a traditional family arrangement.
Have an understanding and empathy for Care Experienced and Estranged Students (CEES), and the varied experiences they will have had.	Avoid making assumptions about Care Experienced and Estranged Students (CEES). Not all students will have had a traumatic experience or spent time within local authority care. For example, some students may have been adopted from a young age and have a positive relationship with their adoptive family.
If you become aware that a student you are supporting is a care leaver, care experienced or estranged, encourage and support them to make themselves known to the Student Support team. The team will then be able to advise this student group of additional support (including a bursary) that they may be eligible for. The student can then choose to engage with as much or as little of the support available as they wish.	We have support staff at the University who are aware of the various ways in which these students may require specific support due to their circumstances. Rather than trying to support this student independently, please refer students to the Student Support team who can use their knowledge to advise this student, and/or work with you to support the student.
Be mindful that many of these students will be living on campus or in student accommodation all year, often with no family home to visit during the holidays. Check in with them, and ensure they are signposted to what support is available on campus.	The holiday periods are windows in which this student group become particularly vulnerable. Don’t make assumptions that all students ‘go home’ for Christmas, Easter and Summer. Many of our Care Experienced and Estranged Students (CEES)remain on campus during these periods.
Trust and relationships may be difficult for this cohort, it is therefore helpful to allocate a consistent Personal Tutor where possible to provide stability and consistency.	Try to avoid situations where the student will have to re-tell their story to several members of staff to get the support they may need.
Provide enhanced support for progression after university. This student group are likely to feel particularly anxious about graduating as they are likely to not have a family home to return to as they start their graduate career. Refer the student for Careers support as early as possible in their student journey.	Avoid making assumptions about all graduates having the option to return ‘home’ after University, or that they will have their parents attending their graduation. Avoid referring students to Careers late in their student journey, an early referral will allow the student to develop a relationship with Careers and benefit from the support available prior to graduation.

If you are supporting a student who you believe may be a care leaver, care experienced or estranged student and it would be more suitable for them to be referred for additional support, please recommend that they speak to the Student Support team ([email protected]) who can case manage this student’s needs to ensure they access the services they need.

Why accommodation may be a concern for this student group

Student accommodation for this student group is about more than cost. The concept of ‘home’ is emotionally loaded for most students who are living away from their family. However, it is likely to be a much more anxiety-evoking concept for young people who have experienced a problematic or traumatic home and family.
There is no local authority statutory support or recognition available to students who are estranged from their parents, and who have not been in local authority care. For these students, relying on the informal support of friends or extended family is often the only alternative to homelessness.
The holiday periods are windows in which Students without Family Support become particularly vulnerable, slipping between the net of parental responsibility and the responsibility of the local authority. These students don’t have the traditional family home to call on over the holiday period or the provision of accommodation from the local authority as those defined as ‘care leavers’ may have.

What accommodation support is available at Edge Hill for this student group?

Students can request an early move into halls and midweek move in dates to accommodate students leaving local authority care. If their room is not available, alternative options on campus will be considered to support the students housing needs prior to start of course.
Students who are care leavers, care experienced, or estranged can request a contract for a room in the University halls of residence for 365 days a year for the three years of their degree, meaning they do not have to vacate halls of residence over the summer months.
Care Leavers can request to stay in the same room if accessing 365 halls of residence accommodation (should they wish to, and subject to maintenance) to avoid disruption.
Students can access the Student Support Fund via the Money Advice Team if needed over the summer period for accommodation costs.
Parts of selected halls are allocated as quiet halls, offering all students the option to choose a quieter halls of residence environment. A limited amount of same-sex accommodation is also available.
This student group can request to leave belongings in their halls of residence room if they’re not staying over the summer and are returning to same room in September.

Why financial support may be a concern for this student group

Financial support systems vary widely, care leavers may be eligible for help from their local authority. Other groups – such as estranged students and care experienced students – may not.

What financial support is available at Edge Hill for this student group?

As a care leaver studying at Edge Hill, students may be eligible for an annual bursary of £1000 for up to a maximum of three years.
The Money Advice Team have a broad offer of financial advice, guidance and support for all students, which our Students without Family Support are able to access.
Students without Family Support may eligible for financial assistance over the summer holiday period via the University’s Student Support Fund.
If a student believes they are estranged, they can ask Student Finance to assess their Student Loan application as an estranged student (the application would then not take into consideration parental income or assume parental contributions to the student) . Stand Alone produce a guide to advise students on this process, and our Money Advice team are be able to provide support with this process. Additional Student Finance information can be found here.
Care Leavers can also apply for the full amount of maintenance loan from Student Finance without having to provide ‘family income’ for the means tested part of the loan. They will need to provide a letter from their LA to show that they had been in care.
All undergraduate, taught postgraduate, PGCE or MRes students can apply for our Student Opportunity Fund for up to £2,000 to support an idea for a career-enhancing project, initiative or activity. Students without family support can contact Careers for enhanced advice and support in completing a Student Opportunity Fund Application.

Why financial support may be a concern for this student group

Financial support systems vary widely, care leavers may be eligible for help from their local authority. Other groups – such as estranged students and care experienced students – may not.

What financial support is available at Edge Hill for this student group?

As a care leaver studying at Edge Hill, students may be eligible for an annual bursary of £1000 for up to a maximum of three years.
The Money Advice Team have a broad offer of financial advice, guidance and support for all students, which our Students without Family Support are able to access.
Students without Family Support may eligible for financial assistance over the summer holiday period via the University’s Student Support Fund.
If a student believes they are estranged, they can ask Student Finance to assess their Student Loan application as an estranged student (the application would then not take into consideration parental income or assume parental contributions to the student) . Stand Alone produce a guide to advise students on this process, and our Money Advice team are be able to provide support with this process. Additional Student Finance information can be found here.
Care Leavers can also apply for the full amount of maintenance loan from Student Finance without having to provide ‘family income’ for the means tested part of the loan. They will need to provide a letter from their LA to show that they had been in care.
All undergraduate, taught postgraduate, PGCE or MRes students can apply for our Student Opportunity Fund for up to £2,000 to support an idea for a career-enhancing project, initiative or activity. Students without family support can contact Careers for enhanced advice and support in completing a Student Opportunity Fund Application.

Why student support, wellbeing and counselling may be a concern for this student group

For many students without family support, their university or college is their support network and home, feeling lonely and isolated are often concerns for this student group.
Many students without family support experience trauma during childhood, with implications for their mental health. Challenges these students experienced their childhood can have significant repercussions for mental health.
Research with estranged students indicates abuse, and particularly emotional abuse, are the key causes of family alienation, alongside clashes of values and mismatched expectations about family roles. More specifically, issues connected to honour-based violence, forced marriage and family rejection of LGBTQ+ family members are common.

What student support, wellbeing and counselling is available at Edge Hill for this student group?

Student Support Team

A named contact in the Student Support Team who is responsible for managing the support for students who are care leavers, care experienced and estranged.
Offer guidance on paperwork to submit to Student Finance to evidence a student’s care leaver/estranged status (care leavers, care experienced and estranged students
don’t always disclose their status at enrolment and can present part way through a course).
A CARE Facebook group that provides an online community for those students who wish to engage facebook.com/groups/EHU.CAREgroup
A ‘struggling or thinking of leaving?’ service which identifies and supports all students, including this student group, who may be struggling or at risk of withdrawing – students can self-refer or be referred to this service. Students are then case managed and offered support to achieve success.

Wellbeing and Counselling

The Wellbeing and Counselling team are here to offer emotional and practical support and can also help students access other services that may be relevant to them, such as counselling, other Student Services teams and external services.

Pre-entry information for students about support available including financial support, accommodation support and emotional support.
Ensure that staff are aware of the support available and how to signpost to it.
Don’t make assumptions about students who have been in care, for example don’t assume they have had a traumatic experience, however having an awareness, and empathy for this cohort of students and their experiences is important.
Trust and relationships may be difficult for this cohort, it is therefore helpful to allocate a consistent personal tutor where possible to provide stability and consistency.
A flexible approach, for student from this cohort, particularly around deadlines can be helpful.
Be aware that some of these students may be parents themselves, and they may experience childcare pressures because of a lack of family support.
Be mindful that many of these students will be living on campus or in student accommodation all year with no family home to visit during the holidays, check-in with them, and ensure they are signposted to what support is available.
Be aware that some students may choose to live off-campus on their own and commute, and isolation may be a challenge for them.
Provide support for progression after university for third year students.

Money Advice Team

Can provide support and advice about what financial support can be provided to students while at university.

Accommodation Team

The accommodation team can provide advice around housing both on campus and off-campus.

Student Support Team

Can provide practical and emotional support and advice for Care Experienced and Estranged Students (CEES).

Counselling and Wellbeing Team

Can provide ongoing specialist emotional support for Care Experienced and Estranged Students (CEES)

Disability and Inclusion Team

Can provide support and advice around reasonable adjustments, and practical support for support students with a disability or medical condition.

Widening Access and Participation Team

If you would like to know more about the support we offer our Care Experienced and Estranged Students (CEES) across their student journey, please see our support pre-arrival and our support within Student Services for current students, or contact the Widening Access and Participation Team at [email protected] to learn more about the University’s approach to Access and Participation for underrepresented student groups.

StandAlone

The Care Experienced and Estranged Student Handbook

Office for Students resources

Edge Hill’s care Leaver Covenant Details

Edge Hill’s Stand-Alone Pledge

Office for Students effective practice guide for Estranged Students

Office for students effective practice guide for Care Experienced and Looked After Children

Pathways to University from Care – YouTube

Uni Connect Role Models Video – Care Experienced Students – YouTube

Rees Foundation | Everyone needs someone to talk to – Rees Foundation

NAPAC – Supporting Recovery From Childhood Abuse

The This Is Us podcast) is by and for care leavers and estranged students, and will be hosting a live chat at 8.00pm on weeknights throughout the pandemic.

Pathways to University from Care from the University of Sheffield.

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