Plymouth University Care Leaver Service – the first 100 days… Aim to provide an overview of: Context/background Support during first term Challenges

Background Information 111 care leavers enrolled - 0.5% of UG population 66 Care Leaver Bursaries awarded in 13/14 (£2k p.a.) – 163 CL applicants, 37 enrolled, 1 withdrawn to date 32 CL due to graduate % CL retention rate – increase from 2008/09 figures and in line with general student body Engagement – approx. 23 intense support, 23 regular contact, 20 irregular contact, 45 no contact

Transition Support 1 September – 2 x Transition Days: 10 attendees & using CL ambassadors Informal lunch, CL student chat, sessions from disability assist, funding, learning development, student jobs etc. Sign up to coaching or ambassador scheme Care Leaver Agreement – expectations & boundaries Welcome pack – book token, cookbook & equipment Help with funding forms, accommodation issues, CLB etc. (pre-entry support from Oct to Aug– , letter, meeting at applicant/open days)

Transition Support 2 Oct, Nov, Dec– CAKE meetings begin… Peer support; signposting; discussion; fun 1 st Oct – CAKE social event for new and current care leaver students – (free) bowling and meal 23 rd Oct – 1 st CAKE meeting – getting to know you, new and old students, student ambassador sign up 11 th & 13 th Nov –2 nd CAKE - Learning development session, coaching opportunity, ambassador training 4 th Dec – 3 rd CAKE - discuss mission statement & Xmas social – go karting & meal (pre-entry support from Oct to Aug– , letter, meeting at applicant/open days)

Transition Support 3 Other work & ‘harder to reach’ group: Setting up 1-2-1s with LD – essay writing etc. Informal buddying scheme for 1 st years 1-2-1s with those who didn’t attend transitions – 6 new students in Oct, 13 in Nov (av. of 2-3 meetings each) Liaison with DAS, funding etc. to iron out early issues Care Leaver Agreement – for those who choose not to engage, receipt of CL bursary dependent on twice- yearly meeting with CL Service to touch base (pre-entry support from Oct to Aug– , letter, meeting at applicant/open days)

Some of the challenges Engagement - Transitions attendance low - meeting face-to-face Trust - establishing relationship - managing expectations - establishing understanding of what we can do for them – free money! Establishing - late disclosure status - partner college/direct admissions - slow response on evidence from LAs - Non-standard CLB cases go to panel

Summary of support Money – CL bursary & NSP Friendly face/personal support Peer support (CAKE) Stress-free referrals to other student services Paid work opportunities Open door policy – help with form filling etc.

Student experience: Dean For students from a stable background, family and friends support the transition into university but for a care leaver this support can be non-existent. The CAKE group provides this. Students make the decision about how much they engage in CAKE, some for initial guidance and then not again, and for some it’s an invaluable source of support throughout uni. It’s not for everyone, some want to leave the past in the past. It provides a safe place to share experiences. What makes it work is the support and guidance from both staff and students, the more students share experiences the more staff understand the difficulties in a care leavers life. For me the CAKE meetings are the only place that I have shared my experiences while at university. Personally hearing stories from others inspires me to work towards enabling more looked after young people go onto university.

MADE IT TO 3 RD YEAR SO TREATED MYSELF TO ATTEND THE SUMMER BALL Fortunately whilst having moved from Lancashire to Wales then to Somerset I have had to good fortune of only having two different foster families, one that I am still currently staying with till September. I went from secondary school to college and then straight onto university through UCAS. I was accepted by Plymouth University and luckily got in as it was my first choice. Finance: Care Leavers Bursary Maintenance Grant Student Ambassador Opportunities Summer work University: C.A.K.E Knowledgeable Lectures Personal: Friends that I made whilst at University and back at home. Foster Carer Enjoying the course Always wanted to go to university, because I always assumed that only very brainy people got to university and wanted to see if I could do it. Could not have succeeded without. While at university I was lucky enough to be part of a group of Care Leavers within C.A.K.E. Within C.A.K.E we had monthly meetings where we got together discussed any issues and shared information about resources at the university as well as any other form of help that we needed whilst at the university. The help that was given within the meetings did not just stop there it allowed us to have a person to go to or contact if we needed help about anything outside of the meetings, because problems do not just happen once a month at the right time for the meetings.