York wins recognition for care leaver support
Posted on 21 July 2009
The Frank Buttle Trust has awarded its Quality Mark for Care Leavers in Higher Education for the efforts the University makes to smooth the way for care leavers to gain access to degree courses.
A cross-University working group, which included administrative and academic staff and student representatives, was set up to review and monitor progress in support services for care leavers studying at York.
We want to use the Quality Mark to flag up the support package that is available for both prospective and existing students
Sharmila Gohil
The group devised a support package to address three areas - accommodation, emotional support and financial assistance - where care leavers may need particular help.
Year-round accommodation is a key issue for care leavers and independent students who have been living in transitional Foyer housing. At York, they have the option to extend standard 38 week lets to 52 weeks, if necessary. Care leavers are not required to pay the £200 booking fee for accommodation, and are also able to access the Rent Guarantee scheme.
Emotional support is available through the University’s existing welfare framework or by working with a designated member of staff.
The University offers financial support in the form of a special Start-up Bursary of £500 or Foyer Grant of £500, and care leavers receive priority in seeking help from the Access to Learning Fund. Care leavers are also likely to qualify for a maximum Undergraduate Bursary of £1,436 per annum.
The manager of the University’s Student Financial Support Unit, Sharmila Gohil, who led the working group, said: “We want to use the Quality Mark to flag up the support package that is available for both prospective and existing students. We also want to use it to raise awareness among staff of the challenges facing care leavers entering higher education.”
In the last decade, the University of York has been at the forefront of leaving care research. A researcher in the Social Policy Research Unit, Jo Dixon, who is a member of the working group, said: “Research has consistently shown that young people who have lived in care face considerable challenges both in and after care, and subsequently too few enter higher education, despite their potential.
“It is important that universities support care leavers to access and succeed in higher education and the Quality Mark demonstrates that the University of York is committed to this.”
The Frank Buttle Trust set up the Quality Mark in 2006 in recognition of Higher Education institutions which excel in supporting students who have been in public care.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- The University working group included representatives of the Student Financial Support Unit, Accommodation Office, Student’s Union, Student Support Office, Colleges, the Widening Participation Unit and the Social Policy Research Unit.
- Follow the University on Twitter at twitter.com/uniofyork. Newsfeeds are available at www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news-feeds/.