Improving Access to Higher Education for Care Experienced Students in Wales

The bridge between school and The bridge between school and uni that s the bit that s missing : Improving that s the bit that s missing : Improving Access to Higher Education for Access to Higher Education for Care Experienced Students Care Experienced Students uni, , Hannah Bayfield and Lena Smith Access, Participation, Success. April 2023.

Overview Overview An introduction to the research: Context The project Key findings Collaboration Working between research and professional services CLASS Cymru Developing an online resource on care experience and university Outputs, outcomes and impact

The research The research Care-experienced young people are under-represented in Higher Education (HE) (Mannay et al, 2017; OFFA, 2017). Fellowship project to understand what Welsh HEIs are doing to improve access to, and success in, HE for care leavers, and to evaluate the effectiveness of these activities to produce a model of best practice. Research Questions: Research Questions: What is the current provision offered by Welsh HEIs to improve access to HE for care leavers? What benefits and opportunities does this provision offer? What barriers or limitations are in evidence? How can these findings be implemented into future policy and practice? How can these findings be implemented into future policy and practice?

Methods Methods Phase 1: Professionals Interviews with 18 education professionals: Interviews with 18 education professionals: 16 university staff from eight different HEIs, covering Widening Participation, Recruitment and Student Support. Two college staff from colleges in different Local Authorities Interviews with seven professionals connected to Interviews with seven professionals connected to care care- -experienced young people s education: experienced young people s education: Four staff from different Local Authorities Two staff from an independent advocacy charity One creative practitioner Phase 2: Care-experienced people Interviews with 10 care Interviews with 10 care- -experienced young people experienced young people with HE experience: with HE experience: All either had experience of the care system in Wales and/or had attended a Welsh HEI: These 10 people had attended 10 different HEIs, six of which were Welsh HEIs Four young people had attended more than one HEI Interviews/focus groups with 12 other care Interviews/focus groups with 12 other care- - experienced young people: experienced young people: Eight took part in focus groups facilitated by local authority representatives Four chose to take part in individual interviews The group was a mixture of secondary school students, college students, and young adults not currently in education.

What is important to professionals? What is important to professionals? Evaluation and Monitoring A growing area, with opportunities and concerns Networks Identification Complexity of identifying students for support Importance of knowledge sharing across the sector Barriers Benefits COVID Responses Gatekeeping, access, relationships, capacity Confidence, support, relationship building New ways of working, digital disadvantage

What is important to care What is important to care- -experienced young people? experienced young people? I m 26 now. And my all my mates are 21, 22. [ ] so when they finish uni, they ll be in their 23, 24, the usual age, and I ll be almost 30. [ ] People start their career in their late 20s, I suppose. [I ll start] in my early 30s so I have a little bit less time than them to to progress. And in in general I just feel a little bit old, you know? Tom Tom Age of entry Age of entry Not always going into HE at 18/19 Not always going into HE at 18/19 Transitions The support offered around entering uni Support What is out there, and where to find it

What is important to care What is important to care- -experienced young people? (2) experienced young people? (2) Yeah, it was like the bridge between school and uni, that s the bit that s sort of like missing. [ ] I think it s that... it s that overwhelming feeling of your whole life s been a bit of a mess and it s that jumping off that cliff into a new life but doing it without really knowing where you re going. I think it s... it s that fear that stops people going sometimes as well Sophie Sophie Age of entry Not always going into HE at 18/19 Transitions Transitions The support offered around entering uni The support offered around entering uni Support What is out there, and where to find it

What is important to care What is important to care- -experienced young people? (3) experienced young people? (3) I didn t get the support. It was kind of like, I got down there, and just kind of left to my own devices, and nobody got in contact with me. They didn t have like a dedicated care leaver team or anything. Age of entry Not always going into HE at 18/19 Transitions The support offered around entering uni Support Support What is out there, and where to find it What is out there, and where to find it Caitlin Caitlin

Lessons Learned Lessons Learned Examples of best practice Examples of best practice Positive examples from many levels Transition stages are key Support at all stages is patchy and could be better coordinated Support at all stages is patchy and could be better coordinated Differing support from LAs, foster carers, schools, colleges and universities This can make things hard to navigate (for YP and practitioners) It s not always clear where this support comes from It s not always clear where this support comes from Often the support is there, but YP and those who support them don t know where to find it Practitioners and YP wanted clearer advice, with better signposting

Recommendations for Best Practice Recommendations for Best Practice 1 1 Key Adults Key Adults Named individuals, knowledgeable staff Named individuals, knowledgeable staff 2 2 Consistency Consistency Regular contact, regardless of reciprocation Regular contact, regardless of reciprocation 3 3 Flexibility Flexibility Support that best meets a student s needs Support that best meets a student s needs 4 4 Personal Touch Personal Touch Welcome packages, Christmas and birthday cards Welcome packages, Christmas and birthday cards 5 5 Accessible Information Accessible Information A one A one- -stop stop- -shop, clear signposting shop, clear signposting

Care Care- -experienced young people s recommendations experienced young people s recommendations I ve never received an email that said, Dear Katie, you know? Just to even have an email that was addressed to me personally, to sort of let me think, Okay, at least there s someone on the other side of this who s seen that I m a care leaver and wants to make sure everything s okay. [ ] It doesn t necessarily have to be a big system overhaul and big change. [ ] But to me that would make a big difference So it has to be different at every stage, but I guess it s that thing around identifying what people s needs might be and actually not doing that just on the basis of like, do they tick this box, then give them some money, or they don t tick the box, they ll be fine, which is how it seems to be. I did struggle to find things that were specific for me as a care leaver, especially when it came to additional support. [ ] I couldn t sort of find a comprehensive way of finding any information that was specific to my situation if that makes sense, not just general to new applicants. Emma Sophie Katie Illustration by Frank Duffy

Bridging the gaps: Together at Cardiff and CLASS Cymru Bridging the gaps: Together at Cardiff and CLASS Cymru Together at Cardiff Building a community of support for care experienced and estranged students. Working with external organisations to create a better experience. Rees Caf and Manifesto for Change pledge from Stand Alone. Supporting intersectionality and including carers, military experience and asylum seekers. CLASS Cymru CLASS Cymru stands for Care Leavers Activities and Student Support Wales. Sharing best practice from institutions and external organisations. Providing training to support all members in developing their knowledge. Working with external orgainsations and charities to promote the great work they are doing.

Developing CLASS Developing CLASS Cymru Cymru Based on project findings, we developed a website with key resources and information for: Care-experienced people interested in going to university The professionals who support those people Illustration by Frank Duffy

Usage to date Usage to date Over 700 visitors to the site since launch Almost 2000 information sheets downloaded, in English and Welsh Spikes in engagement around key dates

Collaboration is key Collaboration is key Stakeholders Designers Research and Professional Services Illustration by Frank Duffy

Pushing further Pushing further Senedd evidence Academic collaboration Future development and funding Illustration by Frank Duffy

Thank you! Thank you! Find out more Contact us: CLASScymru@cardiff.ac.uk Tweet us: @CLASS_Cymru Visit the website: www.classcymru.co.uk Lena Smith Together@cardiff.ac.uk Hannah Bayfield Bayfieldh@cardiff.ac.uk Illustration by Frank Duffy

Details of the CASCADE Infrastructure Partnership Details of the CASCADE Infrastructure Partnership CASCADE Infrastructure Partnership CASCADE Infrastructure Partnership