Care Leavers and Estranged Students Support

Care Leavers and Estranged Student Guide 2022/23

Information for UC Leeds students and applicants who are care leavers or estranged from family.

We would like to welcome you to University Centre Leeds and to introduce the support that we have to offer for care experienced and estranged students. Sharing their expertise and advice, our dedicated team describe how they can support you from school, all the way through to graduation. 

We are conscious of the unique challenges that care experienced and estranged students often encounter as they begin their studies at university, and recognise that without support, you may find it harder to enter and remain in higher education. By addressing these challenges and working directly with you, we hope that anyone who has experienced time in care or is currently studying and living without the support of their parents feels that UC Leeds could be a supportive place in more ways than one. 

Definitions

A care experienced student or care leaver has been in the care of, or been given accommodation by, their local authority (LA) for a period of at least 13 weeks before the age of 16, and hasn’t reconciled with their parents between leaving care and starting their course. 

An estranged student is aged 25 or under and has been classified as an independent student on the grounds of estrangement by Student Finance .

Funding your studies

For care experienced students 

Student Finance will consider a student care experienced if they have been in the care of, or have been given accommodation by, their local authority (LA) for at least 13 weeks before the age of 16. After you have made your application online, Student Finance will ask you to send evidence showing that you were looked after by, or were given accommodation by, your LA.

For estranged students 

Student Finance will consider a student estranged if they are permanently estranged from their parents or have not communicated with them for one year before starting their studies. After you have made your application online, Student Finance will request supporting statements from trusted independent parties (such as a teacher, social worker, police officer or GP) as evidence to confirm your estranged status. 

The charity StandAlone supports people that are estranged from family. They have a useful Student Support Portal (see link below) with advice on applying to Student Finance as a care experienced or estranged student. 

www.standalone.org.uk/students 

Student Support contact 

You can get in touch with Student Support at University Centre Leeds if you would like to speak to someone about Student Finance on: 

01132354733 

hestudentsupport@ucleeds.ac.uk 

Financial Support

University Centre Bursary 

The UC Leeds Bursary provides students with a cash bursary if they have had their income assessed by Student Finance. For more information, please visit https://ucleeds.ac.uk/fees-finance/bursary/

Care Leavers’ Bursary / Estranged Students’ Bursary

Offers £1,000 per year, on top of any other bursaries or awards you have already secured. More information can be found on the UCLeeds website https://ucleeds.ac.uk/fees-finance/

Hardship Fund

The Hardship Fund aims to support students who find themselves in financial difficulties. The fund is intended to act as a safety net for those in need and can help alleviate unexpected financial hardship – although we are unlikely to be able to provide all the funds you may need, we aim to help eligible students as much as possible within available resources. More information can be obtained on the UC Hub or by contacting the team on universitycentrehardshipfund@ucleeds.ac.uk 

Named contact

Adam Stowe is University Centre Leeds’ primary contact for all care experienced and estranged students. If you have a questions and don’t know where to start, or if you’d like to chat to someone about your concerns, please get in touch with Adam.

0113 235 4511

adam.stowe@ucleeds.ac.uk  

Disability, mental health and wellbeing support

Drop-ins and appointments with our Student Support team provide a safe and non-judgmental space for you to talk confidentially about any issues you may be experiencing with your health, wellbeing and disability support. You can make an appointment to discuss concerns that may be affecting your studies. 

These can include: 

— personal / emotional challenges 

— mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression 

— disability or long-term health conditions 

Further information and support

Become

Become is a charitable organisation who provides support for young people in care and care experienced students.

Find out more about Become.

Buttle UK 

Buttle UK is a charitable organisation providing grant aid to vulnerable young people to provide the best possible opportunity in meeting their educational needs.

Find out more about Buttle UK.

Listening Works

Listening Works is a virtual listening service for care experienced students aged 18 – 27. Care experienced students can contact the service by phone, text messages or web chat.  A team of trained volunteers responds to calls and messages.  

Opening hours: 6pm – midnight, 7 days a week, with an answerphone available outside these hours if callers wish to leave a message.

Contact details:  

Telephone: 0808 802 0222

Live web chat via Listening Works webpage 

Text message: 07860 065 169

Find out more about Listening Works

Propel

Propel provides care leavers with information on the support available to them from colleges and universities offering higher education courses across the UK.

We understand that young people leaving the care system may face challenges and may have very different concerns about completing a degree than other students. We offer various support for students which is detailed below. 

The EaCES (Estranged and Care Experienced Students) have created a comprehensive handbook written by estranged and care experienced students (EaCES), as well as orphaned and refugee students, to bring together information and advice to help other students from the same background - the guide covers accommodation, activism, applying to university, becoming estranged, benefits, bereavement, careers advice, claiming your culture, domestic abuse, grants & scholarships, healthy relationships, homelessness, LGBTQ+ students, life skills, meeting others from similar backgrounds, mental health & wellbeing, official charities & organisations, PhDs, mature-students, self-confidence, students with disabilities, student finance and unlearning unhealthy behaviours. 

Did you know?

The local authority’s responsibility to Care Leavers extends until they reach the age of 21 (or 24 where the Local Authority is involved in supporting them in Higher Education or training).

Care leavers may be able to access support, set out in a Pathway Plan, including:

• provision of a social worker or a personal adviser;

• financial assistance;

• help with accommodation;

• benefits and budgeting advice;

• help to develop independent skills;

• support with education (including further education);

• employment and training; and

• support to access health services.