Supporting care leavers in HE
(Submitted by AGCAS member)
The AGCAS Diversity Task Group is in the process of devising a Good Practice Guide for Careers Professionals: Working with Care Leavers, which will be available in late spring. Here, Andy Howells, Careers Adviser at the Open University and a member of the task group, introduces the planned content for the guide.
In 2010, 7% of care leavers* entered higher education. The YIPPEE project (Young people from a public care background: pathways to education in Europe) has produced a UK national report looking into educational opportunities for people who have been in public care. The report highlights how professionals can play a key role in supporting young people to improve their educational and career chances by remaining in education after 16. However, because they are starting from behind and may still have many obstacles to overcome, they are more likely to be ready to enter HE at age 20, older than the normative age of 18 or 19 years.
Good practice guide
The AGCAS Diversity Task Group guide will cover:
• Barriers/issues facing prospective and current care leavers.
• Support available before, during and after their time at university, including information on local authority support.
• Factors which may affect care leavers' career decisions.
• Recommendations on how both universities and career professionals can support care leaver students during their time at university and after graduation.
To find out more about the guide, email Debbie Laing or tel 01484 472124. To enquire about other activities of the AGCAS Diversity Task Group, email the Chair of the group, Es George, or tel 029 20416333.
* According to the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, a Care Leaver is 'someone who has been in the care of the Local Authority for a period of 13 weeks or more spanning their 16th birthday.' Other definitions include: 'A person who has been a ward of the state but no longer qualifies for or receives any government assistance' and 'Adults who, as children, were looked after on a full time, temporary basis by persons other than their own parents or wider family. This must have been in arrangements where the state had some or all of the responsibility for their care, even if it did not provide that care.'
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Tags: Care leavers diversity diversity matters children act young people good practice barriers frank buttle trust agcas task group
Created on: 02 March 2011
Last updated: 03 March 2011