The Hub for SUCCESS is focused on the individual, offering bespoke support for looked after / care-experienced people from as young as 5 Primary 6 to mature adulthood. Unlike other widening access initiatives this project is not focused on postcodes or ‘low progression schools’, as people with experience of care can live in any postcode in the region and attend any school. The Hub for SUCCESS was formed to build a collaborative holistic approach to supporting care experienced people in the South-East; to ensure that learners are signposted to the service they need and to create a model for a national approach.

A region-wide initiative to increase educational opportunities for people who have spent time in care, from early intervention to post-completion of higher education.  Edinburgh’s universities, colleges and the City Council work in partnership to reduce the numbers of care-experienced people leaving school at the minimum age and with few qualifications. The Hub is based in the City of Edinburgh Council Customer Hub on the Royal Mile and acts as a drop-in centre alongside its offer of outreach activities, such as events at community centres and schools, or home and campus visits.

The Hub works with city schools to develop targeted projects that raise the expectations and awareness of care experienced people of all ages. The Hub engages directly with those services that specialise in providing support for individuals with experience of care. More specifically, it forges strong connections with local authority services and third sector bodies that work most closely with looked after or care-experienced people by making direct links with Throughcare and Aftercare Services, social workers, Head Teachers, and also with Champions Boards, which are comprised of care-experienced young people. It works with third sector bodies such as Barnardo’s, Who Cares? Scotland and The Prince’s Trust. It has a specific aim of increasing student retention at school and completion at university.

The Hub is open to people of all ages who have experience of care. They do not need to meet the definition of ‘care leaver’ or be under 26, to access services. It also provides information and advice to carers and others who support people with care experience.

As a founding partner the initial costs of the project were met by the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier and Heriot-Watt and The Scottish Children’s Lottery through its Chance to Study programme. The partnership now includes The University of Edinburgh with Edinburgh Napier University, Heriot-Watt University, Queen Margaret University, the Open University in Scotland, Edinburgh College, Newbattle Abbey College and City of Edinburgh Council.

Other than the significant barriers to accessing higher education for care experienced students, these students continue to face challenges throughout their studies due to complex personal lives and a lack of networks that would provide financial, social and emotional support.

It is known that more than half of care experienced students consider leaving their course and a significantly higher number of care experienced student ends up dropping out (12.8% vs. 7.5% for all students in 2017/18) (Scottish Funding Council, 2019). Having reliable, consistent relationships with a trusted member of staff is very important to care experienced students, as is access to practical support that is trauma sensitive and bespoke to student’s needs (CELCIS, 2019).

We have developed a holistic support package to mitigate some of these challenges for our students through providing guaranteed 365-day accommodation and opportunity for funded accommodation through partnership with the Unite Foundation, additional funding through our Access Edinburgh Scholarship, offer of a staff mentor, and a continuous support network to ensure that they have the time and security to focus on their studies and get the most from their student experience.

The named contact continues their relationship with successful care experienced applicants and continues to be available throughout their degree to help them navigate this process. This could include coordinating with other support services within the University on their behalf, promoting extra- and co-curricular opportunities that they could get involved with, or just being on hand to check in with as they progress through their studies.

Students are eligible for this support if they’ve been in local authority care in the UK and are under 26 on the first day of the academic year in which their degree begins (1 August for most students).

Only 6% of young people who are in care aged 16 continue into higher education by the age of 19 (Department of Education). People who have spent time in local authority care can face significant barriers to entering higher education. This can include lower attainment, lack of positive role models, low expectations from carers and advisers, low aspirations, concerns about being able to afford higher education, lack of information and advice prior to and at the point of application to university, problems with accommodation, low levels of personal and emotional support from professionals, lack of personal support networks, low levels of confidence to self-identify and ask for support pro-actively. Care leavers are therefore a severely under-represented group and improving access for care leavers remains a priority.

The University has a Corporate Parenting responsibility and our plans within this area are laid out within our Corporate Parenting Strategy. We provide advice and guidance to help care experienced students through the application process and support once they join University.

The University aims to make an offer of a place to any care experienced applicant who meets the minimum entry requirements (or is predicted to do so) for the course to which they have applied, where this is possible.

Prospective students and offer holders who identify themselves as having been in care on their UCAS application form are put in touch with the named contact and provided with support throughout the admissions process as well as with information on the comprehensive support package available at the University of Edinburgh.

Students are eligible for this support if they’ve been in local authority care in the UK and are under 26 on the first day of the academic year in which their degree begins (1 August for most students).

Applicants from WP backgrounds often do not have access to the same level of support as their peers when making choices about higher education; or they may have a lot of support, but their supporters and advisers do not have much experience supporting higher education applicants. Offering expert one-to-one information, advice and guidance to these applicants and their supporters and advisers, not only helps to “level the playing field”, but also has the potential to encourage applicants from underrepresented backgrounds to consider the University as an option, when they might not have otherwise done so.

Throughout their prospective journey – and at whatever age or stage they are – our experienced WP staff are available to discuss any questions which potential or current applicants and their supporters / advisers might have, over the phone, via email or in person. This could include, for example, advising on subject choices at school or college, University entry requirements and application processes. We endeavour to provide supportive, transparent, and altruistic advice which is most helpful to the individual and their specific situation and needs.

The WP team welcomes enquiries from all potential and current applicants and their supporters and advisers via the contact details below.  Any which cannot be answered by the team will be forwarded to the relevant University department or external partner to ensure a full service.