The Department for Education has called on Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to do more to support care leavers within higher education. Students with experience in care are less likely to enrol at university and more likely to face challenges such as low self-esteem and confidence, feelings of isolation and issues around belonging (TASO, 2021, Report: more effective support needed for care-experienced learners in HE. https://taso.org.uk/news-item/report-more-effective-support-needed-for-care-experienced-learners-in-he/ ). The Open University Faculty of Business and Law has used available literature to identify and provide additional support for this underrepresented group of students in a digital context (Allen et al., 2021, Supporting care experienced students: Piloting a project in the faculty of business and law. The Open University. https://www5.open.ac.uk/scholarship-and-innovation/scilab/blog/supporting-care-experienced-students ). In consultation with representatives from the Care Leavers Association and care experienced students, the initial pilot engaged specialist tutor mentors, provided training for Faculty colleagues, and offered students information and support via the virtual learning platform. This chapter explores the challenges faced in accessing this group of students in an online learning context. Findings highlighted varying levels of interaction across differing support mechanisms. We found that students preferred a more passive approach to digital information dissemination, engaging most actively with a repository of resources, which is linked to findings around stigma of identification of being care experienced. This chapter offers insights for those seeking to develop additional support measures in a digital context for care experienced students.

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Supporting Care Experienced Students: Piloting a Project in the Faculty of Business and Law

  • Grace Allen,
  • Sarah Henderson,
  • Joanna Mirek-Tooth

摘要

The Department for Education has called on Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to do more to support care leavers within higher education. Students with experience in care are less likely to enrol at university and more likely to face challenges such as low self-esteem and confidence, feelings of isolation and issues around belonging (TASO, 2021, Report: more effective support needed for care-experienced learners in HE. https://taso.org.uk/news-item/report-more-effective-support-needed-for-care-experienced-learners-in-he/ ). The Open University Faculty of Business and Law has used available literature to identify and provide additional support for this underrepresented group of students in a digital context (Allen et al., 2021, Supporting care experienced students: Piloting a project in the faculty of business and law. The Open University. https://www5.open.ac.uk/scholarship-and-innovation/scilab/blog/supporting-care-experienced-students ). In consultation with representatives from the Care Leavers Association and care experienced students, the initial pilot engaged specialist tutor mentors, provided training for Faculty colleagues, and offered students information and support via the virtual learning platform. This chapter explores the challenges faced in accessing this group of students in an online learning context. Findings highlighted varying levels of interaction across differing support mechanisms. We found that students preferred a more passive approach to digital information dissemination, engaging most actively with a repository of resources, which is linked to findings around stigma of identification of being care experienced. This chapter offers insights for those seeking to develop additional support measures in a digital context for care experienced students.