University of East Anglia is committed to supporting Care Leavers. This is the collaborative, whole-institution response evidenced through the Care Leaver Covenant.

Student

UEA (University of East Anglia) has a long-standing commitment to supporting the educational outcomes of care experienced students. The University is developing a whole-lifecycle approach and offers a varied programme of outreach and widening access initiatives, support during transition to UEA, and a package of on-course information and support.

Outreach and Admissions

The IncludingMe programme (https://www.uea.ac.uk/study/includingme) is well-established at UEA and offers information and experiences to care experienced learners in mainstream and alternative education providers in the region. The programme is coordinated by the university’s Outreach team. IncludingMe activities aim to build confidence about students’ pathways to higher education, support them to make informed decisions, and recognise support and funding available.

• Travel funding to visit campus: care experienced students are eligible for support with transport costs to attend Open Days, Applicant Days, and campus visits.

• Annual residential event: UEA hosts a free residential event, Experience Uni, each year in collaboration with another Higher Education Provider, which is specifically for students aged 14-17 with experience of care.

• Student shadowing: care experienced students aged 16+ are offered an individual visit to campus, tailored to their needs and interests. Learners can meet a current student studying their course of interest, take a guided tour of campus, and chat about any questions or concerns about university. Learners may bring a friend, family member or guardian, or a support worker.

• Group visits: designated teachers, social care staff, fostering agency staff, and other professionals can request a group visit to UEA throughout the year. The Outreach team works with group leaders to coordinate a visit which will be valuable and relevant.

• Informal video calls: care experienced students can book an informal video chat with UEA’s dedicated Widening Participation Officer, at a time that suits them. This is an opportunity to address concerns and ask any questions about Higher Education, including finance and busaries, UCAS, accommodation, student support, and more.

• Online chats: students can also ask questions directly with the dedicated staff member via UniBuddy.

• UEA has established excellent working relationship with HE providers and Virtual Schools in the region, as a longstanding member of the National Network for the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL). UEA’s Widening Participation Officer represents the East of England on NNECL’s National Strategy Group.

• Contextual admissions: UEA’s contextual admissions policy provides eligible students with a reduced entry grade offer. The University receives all the information needed from the UCAS application https://www.uea.ac.uk/apply/undergraduate/contextual-admissions. Care-experienced students are automatically considered for a reduced offer as part of our nationwide contextual admissions policy (eligibility criteria and course exceptions may apply).

• Teachers, advisors, foster carers, and social care staff: UEA’s Outreach team works collaboratively local HE providers and Virtual Schools for Children in Care to offer professional development opportunities for those supporting care experienced young people.

Welcome and on-course support

• CEES Network: the Care Experienced & Estranged Student Network (uea.ac.uk/cees) offers enhanced information, opportunities, and support to current care experienced learners at UEA. Students who self-identify as care experienced or estranged as part of the University’s registration process are automatically enrolled into the Network. There is a CEES Network email account for prospective and current UEA students (cees@uea.ac.uk). The CEES Network team offer in-person and virtual appointments for students throughout their studies.

• Pre-arrival communication: applicants who identify as care-experienced on their UCAS application will receive specific information about the CEES Network prior to their arrival.

• Arrivals and Welcome Week: new and returning care experienced learners are invited to meet CEES Network staff and collect a free pack of helpful welcome items.

• Peer support: CEES Network and UEA Student Union staff support care experienced students to meet each other through social events on campus. Care experienced applicants are also invited to register for the BuddySU scheme, coordinated by the Student Union, which pairs new and experienced UEA students together to provide peer support.

• Bursaries: UEA offers a Care Leaver & Estranged Student bursary for eligible students (£3000 per year from 2025 onwards). This can be paid in cash in termly instalments, or used to pay UEA accommodation costs, or towards tuition fees.

• Scholarships: UEA’s range of scholarships provide extra financial support. Students can receive a scholarship award in addition to a UEA bursary.

• Hardship funding: UEA’s emergency loans and non-repayable fund are managed by our specialist Student Life Finance team and are promoted directly to UEA CEES learners. Care experienced undergraduate and postgraduate students are eligible for the non-repayable Travel and Tech fund, which can help with the cost of course-related travel or contribute towards a new laptop/tablet.

• Accommodation: care experienced students are provided with information and support to secure 52-week accommodation on campus if required. Students can also apply to remain in UEA accommodation for the duration of their course if they prefer the on-campus environment.

• Graduation: care experienced students are offered funding to support with the costs of attending their graduation ceremony, to ensure the cost of gown hire and guest tickets are not a barrier to attending and celebrating their achievement.

• Careers & employability: comprehensive support is offered by UEA CareerCentral during studies and for three years following graduation. This service is directly promoted to all CEES Network students, including the UEA Award, interview and CV support, and access to employment and internship opportunities.

A Robust Employment Offer

UEA’s School of Social Work liaise closely with Norfolk County Council to actively encourage care leavers to apply to the 3-year Social Work Integrated Degree Apprenticeship programme; care leaver applicants who meet the entry requirements are guaranteed an interview.

UEA will continue to explore how, within our organisation, we could further respond to this aspect of the Covenant.

Community

In collaboration with The Fostering Network and Internet Matters, academic colleagues in UEA’s School of Education and Lifelong Learning have developed a free online training course for foster carers. The ‘Fostering Digital Skills for Life’ training can be accessed by foster carers, to give them a greater understanding of online risks and the confidence to support children and young people when online.

The School of Social Work does much teaching related to working with care experienced people, both in qualifying and post-qualifying programmes. Care experienced members of the community are invited to participate in teaching. The School of Health Sciences also incorporates service users and care experienced people in teaching for Nursing and other allied health courses. Secondary PGCE students at UEA are offered a Professional Development session delivered by colleagues from the Norfolk Virtual School for Children in Care and Previously in Care.

UEA’s School of Social work, in collaboration with Foster East, are launching a Certificate of Higher Education programme in Therapeutic Fostering in September 2025. The programme is initially open to experienced foster carers who work with one of the 11 local authorities in the area covered by Foster East, with plans to expand to a national offer in future.

UEA is a University of Sanctuary (https://www.ueasanctuary.org/) and is proud to welcome forced migrant students, staff, and visitors to campus. UEA’s Sanctuary Scholarships provide funding opportunities for applicants seeking asylum who may not have access to student finance loans, including applicants who were unaccompanied young people on arrival.

The Sainsbury Centre museum at UEA offers a dedicated children & families programme to enable the wider community to experience and enjoy the art collections and sculpture park. Free and low-cost creative activities are available throughout the year, including school holidays.

UEA’s annual Christmas lectures for children are free, fun opportunities for children and guardians to learn with our academic staff. All these opportunities are promoted directly to Norfolk Virtual School for Children in Care and Previously in Care to encourage participation from care experienced children and young people in the county.