The University of Staffordshire is committed to supporting those with lived experience care. This is the collaborative, whole-institution response captured through the Care Leaver Covenant.

Pillar 1: Student

The University of Staffordshire recognises its role as a corporate parent and is committed to ensuring that care-experienced learners receive the same level of aspiration, encouragement, opportunity and support that any reasonable parent would wish for their child. Our approach extends beyond student support and is embedded across recruitment, admissions, student experience, employability and community engagement.

Continuous Improvement and Quality Assurance

The University of Staffordshire is committed to continually improving support for care-experienced students. We recognise that effective support must evolve in response to student feedback, emerging evidence and sector best practice.

To ensure our provision remains relevant and impactful, we will:

• Review our care-experienced student offer annually.
• Seek feedback from care-experienced students through surveys, focus groups and student voice activities.
• Monitor student continuation, attainment and progression outcomes.
• Regularly review information published on University webpages and external platforms, including Propel.
• Work collaboratively with regional partners and sector bodies to share best practice.
• Benchmark our provision against recognised sector frameworks, including the NNECL Quality Mark, and explore future participation where this would support further enhancement of our care-experienced student offer.

This process will help ensure that support remains responsive to the changing needs of care-experienced learners and continues to reflect our commitment to acting as a responsible corporate parent.

Pre-Arrival Support

Student Life Department

Care-experienced and estranged applicants can access one-to-one support with a named Student Adviser who is also a Care-Experienced Champion (Kate Rowe). This support is available earlier than standard student services and provides a consistent point of contact throughout the transition into university.

The offer is intentionally designed around the distinct needs of students without parental or family support, rather than adapting generic student provision. Support focuses on:

• Student finance without parental contribution, including care leaver and estranged student entitlements, bursaries, year-round budgeting and financial resilience
• Independent living and accommodation preparation, including tenancy readiness, year-round housing needs, and support to manage changes or breakdowns in accommodation
• Financial capability and planning, recognising the lack of family safety nets and the impact of unexpected costs
• Disability Students’ Allowance (DSA) guidance, where relevant, including support with applications for students who do not have an advocate
• Wellbeing and emotional support, including early conversations about resilience, access to support services and confidence in asking for help
• Preparing for university life as an independent student, supporting applicants to navigate systems, deadlines and decisions without family guidance
• Direct access via SOLVE (https://solve.staffs.ac.uk/), the University’s central enquiry service. All care-experienced enquiries are triaged promptly to the designated staff member to ensure timely and appropriate support.

Our Residence Life team proactively contacts care-experienced applicants upon receipt of their application to outline available support and respond to any questions.

Where applicants have not disclosed their care-experienced status, we issue targeted communications encouraging disclosure so that appropriate support can be offered.

Information and Guidance

We maintain dedicated webpages for Care Leavers and Estranged Students, which are currently being enhanced to ensure information is clear, accessible and up to date. This includes:

• Clear identification of Care-Experienced Champions for schools and colleges
• Student testimonials from care-experienced learners
• Practical information and guidance across the full student lifecycle

Care Leavers and Estranged Students – Current students – University of Staffordshire

Pre-Arrival Activities

We offer a range of targeted pre-arrival opportunities designed to build confidence and support transition into higher education, including:

• A Care Leavers information leaflet available at Open Days and Offer Holder Days
• An online pre-arrival package providing:
  • Clear guidance on next steps
  • Introductions to key support staff
  • Opportunities to ask questions in a supportive environment
• One-to-one campus visits, including tours, tailored advice and meetings with named support contacts (or virtual 1:1 meetings where preferred)
• Targeted communications and priority access to transition events for offer-holders, focusing on university life, study skills and independent living

Schools Liaison and Outreach

Teachers, advisers and leaving care teams supporting care-experienced young people have a dedicated route into the University through the Student Recruitment and Access and Transitions Team.

Our Student Recruitment and Access and Transitions teams:

• Provide pre-application IAG, including support with student finance, UCAS applications and personal statements
• Deliver aspiration-raising activity in schools and colleges, alongside bespoke campus visits
• Offer CPD opportunities for teachers, advisers and leaving care teams to strengthen understanding of higher education pathways and available support
• Provide tailored information for virtual schools, foster carers and guardians
• Work collaboratively with external partners and charities (e.g. The House Project, Virtual Schools and Leaving Care Teams) to raise aspirations and strengthen regional networks
• Offer 1:1 personalised feedback on personal statements
• Strengthen relationships with Personal Advisors and Local Authorities to support proactive promotion of opportunities

Contextual Offers

• For most courses (excluding some professional programmes such as certain Health courses), a reduction of two full grades is applied compared to the typical offer
• For selected professional and health courses, a reduction of one full grade is applied, alongside additional consideration at interview stage
• Care-leaver status is explicitly included within contextual eligibility criteria

Partner Institutions

We provide information, advice and guidance to colleagues in partner further education institutions to support care-experienced students progressing into higher education.

In the longer term, we aim to develop collaborative regional approaches, including joint covenant commitments and aspirations to work towards the NNECL Quality Mark.

On-Course Support

We provide dedicated on-course support for care-experienced and estranged students to ensure they are supported consistently throughout their studies and are not required to navigate university systems alone.

This support recognises that care-experienced and estranged students may face ongoing financial, accommodation and wellbeing challenges during their course due to the absence of family support. It is designed to remove barriers that can affect continuation, engagement and academic success.

Care-experienced and estranged students studying at our institution have access to ongoing one-to-one support with a named Student Adviser who is also a Care-Experienced Champion (Kate Rowe).

This support continues throughout a student’s course, not just at entry, and provides a consistent and trusted point of contact who understands the specific challenges faced by students without parental or family support.

Care-experienced and estranged students are offered proactive check-ins at key points during the academic year, recognising that challenges often emerge after enrolment and may not be raised by students themselves. The emphasis is on relationship-based support, enabling students to raise concerns early, build trust, and access help without repeated disclosure of their circumstances.

Where challenges arise during a student’s course — including financial difficulty, accommodation instability, wellbeing concerns or difficulties engaging with university systems — the Care-Experienced Champion can advocate on the student’s behalf and coordinate timely support across relevant university services.

This approach reduces the burden on students to independently navigate complex systems and ensures barriers are addressed promptly to support retention and progression.

This commitment reflects our corporate parenting responsibility by providing stability, continuity and aspiration for care-experienced students throughout their time at university. We recognise that care-experienced and estranged students often reach independence earlier than their peers and may experience disproportionate risk during study. Our on-course support is therefore designed to provide the encouragement, advocacy and practical assistance that family networks often provide for other students.

Through this on-course support, care-experienced and estranged students are better supported to:

• Maintain engagement and progression throughout their studies
• Manage financial and accommodation challenges without crisis escalation
• Access wellbeing and disability support in a timely way
• Feel known, understood and supported by their institution
• Complete their course with confidence and stability

Financial Support

Eligible care-experienced students can access a £1,000 annual Care Leaver Bursary, paid in two instalments (November and March), to help bridge gaps between maintenance payments.

Additional financial support includes:

• Access to wider bursaries and scholarships
• Hardship funding through the Student Support Fund, with a clear emphasis on supporting care-experienced learners
• A 25% alumni discount on postgraduate tuition fees

Transition and Development

Students are supported through:

• Start at Staffs online modules delivered via the VLE, supporting:
  • Academic transition
  • Wellbeing
  • Financial management
  • Independent living skills

We are committed to developing specialist training for Academic Mentors and professional services staff to strengthen awareness and enhance support for care-experienced students.

Community and Wellbeing Support

Care-experienced students are offered:

• Birthday and seasonal cards and gifts (where appropriate)
• Invitations to on-campus events during holiday periods, including Christmas Day provision
• Free gym membership and sports team membership

Student Voice and Co-Creation

The University of Staffordshire is committed to ensuring that care-experienced students have opportunities to influence and shape the support they receive.

Care-experienced students are encouraged to share their experiences and feedback through surveys, focus groups, one-to-one discussions and student representation opportunities. Feedback is used to inform the development and enhancement of services, resources and support initiatives.

We are committed to working collaboratively with care-experienced students to ensure our provision remains relevant, responsive and reflective of lived experience.

Where appropriate, care-experienced students will be invited to contribute to:

• The review and development of support services
• Student communications and resources
• Access and participation evaluation activity
• Institutional discussions relating to care-experienced students and widening participation

This approach helps ensure that support is developed with care-experienced students rather than solely for them.

Accommodation

Care-experienced students are guaranteed 365-day on-campus accommodation in their first year, subject to meeting standard deadlines and providing required evidence once.

In subsequent years, we prioritise access to 365-day accommodation where possible and work closely with the Students’ Union to support students in securing suitable alternatives when required.

Additional accommodation support includes:

• Residential Support Coordinators providing evening support during term time
• Residence Life Assistants offering peer support
• A full programme of Residence Life activities promoting wellbeing and community
• GreenPad (Students’ Union lettings agency), providing guidance on private rental options

Students’ Union Support

The Students’ Union provides a free, impartial and professional advice service covering:

• Student finance
• Academic processes
• Financial hardship support

Additional support includes:

• Free period products across campus
• Free access to Clubs and Societies for Care- experienced students
• Zero-waste and low-cost grocery options
• Participation in the Too Good To Go scheme

Graduation Support

Care-experienced students receive a Graduation Bursary, paid in June of their final year, to support with graduation-related costs and ensure students are able to fully participate in graduation celebrations. The bursary offer is reviewed annually.

Pillar 2: Employment

The University of Staffordshire recognises that care-experienced young people and adults can face additional barriers when accessing employment, work experience and career progression. As both a higher education provider and a major regional employer, we are committed to supporting care-experienced students and graduates to develop the skills, confidence and opportunities needed to progress into meaningful employment.

Employability Support for Care-Experienced Students

Care-experienced students are a priority group within the University’s Student and Graduate Employability Team and can access tailored careers information, advice and guidance throughout their studies and beyond graduation.

Support includes:

• One-to-one careers appointments and coaching
• CV, application and interview support
• Careers workshops and employability events
• Employer-led activities, live briefs and business challenges
• Access to over 3,000 advertised vacancies annually
• Opportunities to engage with more than 500 employers through campus events and recruitment activity

Students can also participate in structured employability programmes including:

• The EDGE Award (Engage, Develop, Gain, Excel)
• The Careers Essentials Award
• Placement-readiness and placement support
• Graduate employability support following completion of studies

To reduce financial barriers to participation, students can access wider University support including hardship funding, cost of living support and digital equipment provision where appropriate.

Paid Work Experience and Development Opportunities

Care-experienced students are encouraged to engage with a range of paid and developmental opportunities available across the University, including:

• Student Ambassador roles
• Residence Life Assistant positions
• Student Mentor opportunities
• Students’ Union employment opportunities
• Internal graduate internships

Care-experienced students who meet the eligibility criteria are guaranteed an interview for the University’s Student Ambassador Scheme.

Student Ambassadors play a vital role in supporting outreach activity, school and college engagement, campus visits and student recruitment events, whilst developing valuable employability skills and professional experience.

Our Commitment as an Employer

The University recognises that recruitment processes can present additional challenges for care-experienced applicants. We are therefore committed to exploring and developing inclusive recruitment practices that support equitable access to employment opportunities.

This includes:

• Clear and accessible recruitment information
• Optional pre-application support and guidance
• Application and interview preparation support
• Exploration of targeted internship and work-shadowing opportunities
• Collaboration between Human Resources, Careers, Student Support and Widening Participation teams to strengthen pathways into employment

We will continue to work with local authorities, regional partners and employers to identify opportunities that improve employment outcomes for care-experienced students and graduates.

Student Voice and Continuous Improvement

The University is committed to ensuring that care-experienced students help shape the employability support and opportunities available to them.

Feedback gathered through surveys, focus groups, student consultation activities and ongoing engagement with care-experienced students will inform the development of future employability initiatives, employment pathways and recruitment practices.

We will regularly review our employment offer to ensure it remains relevant, accessible and responsive to the needs of care-experienced students and graduates.

Accessing Employment Opportunities

Employment opportunities and employability support are promoted through:

• Careers Connect
• The University jobs portal
• Targeted student communications
• Induction and transition activities
• Careers and employability events
• Direct engagement with Student Support and Employability teams
• Care Leaver and Estranged Student webpages
• Students’ Union communication channels

Care-experienced students can access support at any stage of their university journey, from pre-arrival through to graduation and beyond.

Pillar 3: Community

The University of Staffordshire is committed to being an active civic partner and creating opportunities for care-experienced young people to engage with university life, access community resources and develop a sense of belonging within their local community.

We recognise that care-experienced young people may have fewer opportunities to access educational, cultural and professional networks. Through our community engagement activity, partnerships and public services, we aim to help address these barriers and create meaningful opportunities for connection, aspiration and personal development.

Access to University Facilities, Events and Opportunities

Care-experienced young people can access a range of free community-facing activities and events delivered by the University throughout the year, including:

• Public lectures, talks and workshops
• Academic conferences and community events
• Creative exhibitions and showcases
• Open Days and campus-based experiences
• Outreach and aspiration-raising activities

These opportunities enable care-experienced young people to experience university environments, explore future pathways and build confidence in accessing higher education.

Information about upcoming events is available through the University’s public events programme. https://www.staffs.ac.uk/events

Community Partnerships

The University works collaboratively with a range of partners to support care-experienced young people across Staffordshire and the wider region.

This includes partnership working with:

• Local Authorities and Virtual Schools
• Higher Horizons and Uni Connect partners
• Schools and colleges
• Leaving Care Teams
• Charities and community organisations supporting care-experienced young people

Through these partnerships, we support aspiration-raising activity, information and guidance, outreach programmes and progression pathways into higher education.

Specialist Community Services

The University provides access to services that may be of particular value to care-experienced young people and the wider community.

These include:

University of Staffordshire Legal Advice Clinic (SULAC)

A free and confidential legal advice service delivered by Law students under the supervision of qualified legal professionals, providing access to advice that may otherwise be difficult or costly to obtain. https://www.staffs.ac.uk/about/facilities/legal-advice-clinic

The University also offers a range of welcoming study, social and meeting spaces where students and visitors can access support, engage with events and participate in community activity.

Student Voice and Community Development

We are committed to listening to the experiences of care-experienced students and young people to help shape future community activity and opportunities.

Feedback from care-experienced students, local authority partners and community organisations will inform the ongoing development of our community offer and help ensure opportunities remain accessible, relevant and responsive to need.

Future Development

The University will continue to explore opportunities to strengthen its support for care-experienced young people through community engagement, partnership working and access to university resources.

This includes identifying opportunities to promote activities through the Care Leaver Covenant, strengthen regional collaboration and develop new pathways that support care-experienced young people to thrive in education, employment and their wider communities.