The University’s commitment to helping care leavers into higher education has been recognised
Date: Thurs 21 August
The University’s commitment to helping care leavers into Higher Education has been recognised
London Met has secured the Care Leavers Buttle Trust Quality Mark in recognition of its commitment to helping students from foster or residential care into higher education.
Care leavers are far below the national average when it comes to progression to university and London Met is tackling this in line with its mission for improving access to higher education for people from all backgrounds.
The University has set up a range of measures – including both financial and pastoral support – to help care leavers into higher education and then support them through their studies.
Sophie Cloutterbuck, Head of Widening Participation at London Met, is delighted that the University’s access mission has been recognised and hopes that the number of care leavers her team is able to help continues to rise.
She said: “We believe university should be accessible to all and we want to make sure that’s the case. Care leavers are massively underrepresented at universities but they shouldn’t be – they should be able to come to fulfil their potential and make the most of all the opportunities that university brings.”
The Widening Participation team coordinates a range of initiatives to help care leavers, including outreach work in the community and in schools, as well as conferences for care leavers in partnership with other universities.
Plus, Student Services at London Met provide specialist support for care leavers including assistance in accessing financial support from the government, local authority and the University. Students are also given the option of additional support relating to everything from their course and time management to finding affordable accommodation in London.
There’s also financial help on offer. Care leavers’ applications for the National Scholarship Programme are prioritised and the Student Progression Bursary is also available. A specific Care Leavers’ Bursary is being introduced for student starting in 2015.
Widening Participation at London Met
If you’re interested in hearing more about Widening Participation’s initiatives to help care leavers into higher education then visit the University’s Care Leavers webpages.
