‘It was me, but it was them that helped me’: Exploring the issues for care experienced young people within higher education

Abstract

This article reports the findings of a small study investigating the experiences of care experienced young people in relation to higher education in England. The findings are based on a literature review, interviews with young people studying at one University as well as interviews with University support staff. It also includes data from two focus groups with young people in care. The research shows that their success depends on a complexity of factors. In terms of support, young people did not benefit from unspecified and generalised help, but ongoing support that was relational, characterised by genuine concern, human warmth and knowledge of the young person. In addition, the research emphasises that supportive adults need to be non-judgemental, available and responsive in providing practical help as well as emotional support. These supportive adults, together with the provision of financial support, combined with the student's own agency, resilience, internal drive and determination, provide a powerful set of factors that underpin success within higher education for care experienced students. Additionally this research provides further testament to the importance of enduring and trusting relationships for children in care.

Care‐experienced students in higher education: A case for re‐figuring higher education worlds to widen access and further social justice

“…The high prevalence is coherent with the wider literature (Ellis & Johnston, 2019;Hauari et al, 2019;Harrison et al, 2021;Pinkney & Walker, 2020;Roberts et al, 2021). This may reflect the high rates of children in care arrangements with diagnosed mental health conditions or learning differences (Centre for Social Justice, 2019; Pinkney & Walker, 2020). Alternatively, many may have endured adverse childhood experiences or trauma, impacting on studies, as 'the past can sometimes affect the present', (Evans, 2018, p. 38;Simpson & Murphy, 2020).…”

“…In this paper, we argue that the figured world lens helps us to understand how negative interpretations of care‐experienced students can serve to make their lives more difficult. We know that care‐experienced students face some of the most pronounced marginalisation (Hauari et al, 2019) resulting in many resisting this label completely or until later in their HE journey (Mayall et al, 2015; Pinkney & Walker, 2020). For the most part, this seems to be connected to the level of societal stigma attached to the label (Bluff et al, 2012).…”

“…Within HE there is a realm of thinking where all students are expected to live in halls for their first year and then move into shared houses for subsequent years, usually vacating housing for the holidays. However, this often excludes the needs of care‐experienced students who may not have family they can stay with during the holidays, an insight identified in a number of studies (Centre for Social Justice, 2019; Ellis & Johnston, 2019; Pinkney & Walker, 2020). In addition, many care‐experienced students progress to HE at a later point in life (Harrison, 2017), creating challenges in terms of fitting into a ‘typified’ student life.…”

“…The literature clearly evidences the importance of support networks and sense of belonging in order for students to thrive in HE (Read et al, 2020; Thomas, 2002). With particular reference to care‐experienced students, the research insights are mixed—some care‐experienced students have a wealth of support around them, whereas for others this can be limited (Pinkney & Walker, 2020; Stevenson et al, 2020, p. 10). There is a danger that ‘even where young people have experienced stable, settled and supportive foster or care home environments, they may be quickly propelled into much more independent and isolating circumstances, leaving them vulnerable to loneliness and loss of support networks’ (Pinkney & Walker, 2020, p. 6).…”

“…With particular reference to care‐experienced students, the research insights are mixed—some care‐experienced students have a wealth of support around them, whereas for others this can be limited (Pinkney & Walker, 2020; Stevenson et al, 2020, p. 10). There is a danger that ‘even where young people have experienced stable, settled and supportive foster or care home environments, they may be quickly propelled into much more independent and isolating circumstances, leaving them vulnerable to loneliness and loss of support networks’ (Pinkney & Walker, 2020, p. 6). Given the importance of social networks, this highlights the importance of universities working with care‐experienced students to explore what social opportunities they would like, reconfiguring social opportunities (such as societies) to be more inclusive to the diverse needs and interests of these students.…”