A guarantee of year-round accommodation, tailored pastoral
support and admissions which take into account applicants’
experiences are among the steps that universities and colleges
could put in place to help improve support for students who have
been in care, the Office for Students (OfS) has said today.
A new Insight brief published by the OfS, ‘Consistency needed’
(attached), emphasises the importance of support for students and
applicants who have been in care to be delivered equally across
the sector.
OfS data highlights significant equality gaps for students who
have spent time in care compared to their peers. For example,
students in this group are much more likely not to continue to a
second year, to take longer than three years to complete their
degree, and not to gain a 2:1 or higher. There are also fears
that the impact of COVID-19 may exacerbate these inequalities for
care experienced students and others who are without family
support.
To improve the monitoring of this student group’s outcomes, the
OfS is proposing an expansion of the future data collected to
capture a broader group of applicants with experience of care, as
well as working with the Centre for Transforming Access and
Outcomes in higher education (TASO) to improve the sharing of
effective practice.
The OfS also commissioned research from the National Network for
the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL) on what a consistent offer
of support could look like, with recommendations including:
- year-round accommodation provided by universities and
colleges with their own residences
- priority access to pastoral and financial support
- admissions processes which take a rounded view of applicants’
experiences and challenges
- pre-entry advice, careers guidance and continued support
after graduation.
Speaking of her experiences, Bryony Toon, a law student at the
University of Oxford and OfS student panellist, said:
‘As a student who has been in care, I feel strongly that there
should be more consistent support for students like me. There
should be a single contact you can go to and stay with through
the process of getting into university and while there.
‘There needs to be information and support for students who have
been in care that is consistent across universities and colleges.
There is support available like bursaries and access schemes, but
universities need to make sure students know about them. I have
been lucky with my university in terms of financial support, but
I have friends who have not been so well supported.’
The briefing includes case studies of practical support already
offered by universities, colleges and local outreach partnerships
designed to tackle gaps in access and outcomes, such as:
- training for foster carers, children’s home support workers
and personal advisors
- funded transport for open days or interview
- bursaries to provide financial support between studies and
full-time employment.
Chris Millward, director for fair access and participation, said:
‘While there are a number of excellent examples of support for
students who have been in care, our analysis is still showing
stark disparities in outcomes for this group. We know that the
proportion of care experienced students entering into higher
education remains substantially lower than their rest of the
population, and our data shows that they continue to face
barriers even once they get there.
‘To mitigate this, we are calling for a consistent approach to
support across the sector. Higher education is a transformative
experience, and universities and colleges must do all they can to
ensure that it is accessible for all.’
ENDS
Notes
- The Office for Students is the independent regulator for
higher education in England. Our aim is to ensure that every
student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience
of higher education that enriches their lives and careers.
- OfS Insight briefs give an overview of current issues and
developments in higher education, drawing on the data, knowledge
and understanding available to the OfS as the regulator for
universities and colleges in England.
- A copy of ‘Consistency needed: Care experienced students and
higher education’ is attached and will be published on the OfS
website on 9 April.
- HESA is running a consultation on personal characteristics
and equality data until 17 June 2021, which includes a proposal
to update the data record of care experienced students – the OfS
is encouraging responses from interested parties. To give your
views, please see: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/innovation/records/reviews/personal-characteristics-equality-data-consultation
- TASO is an independent hub funded by the OfS which uses
evidence and evaluation to understand and show how higher
education contributes to social justice and mobility. Read more:
https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/promoting-equal-opportunities/evaluation/transforming-access-and-student-outcomes/
