Hampshire Universities Widening Participation Group

Name of Working Group:Vulnerable children and young people

Terms of reference: 2014 – 15

1 / Aim of the group / a)To pool information and share best practice in promoting HE options to vulnerable children and young people, their families and practitioners working with them
b)To work in partnership to facilitate HE progression for vulnerable children and young people
2 / Objectives / a)To develop an effective network for staff across HUWPG partners
b)To develop an effective network with relevant external bodies
c)To promote a wider understanding of the support and opportunities in higher education available to vulnerable children and young people
d)To collaborate and contribute to events targeted at vulnerable children and young people, their families or practitioners who work with them
3 / Expected outcomes / a)Summary of activity of work with vulnerable childrenand young people, their families and practitioners working with them by the end of August 2015
b)To deliver or contribute tofour events,which are either specifically targeted at vulnerable children and young people, their families or practitioners working with them or contain a component specifically aimed at vulnerable children and young people, their families or practitioners working with them
c)Summary of key relevant external bodies
d)Feedback to annual HUWPG staff development conference on key findings and activities
4 / Membership / a)Each partner to nominate a member of staff with relevant experience
b)Each partner to nominate a member of staff from student services (or equivalent) and the Students’ Union to be included on the group’s distribution list. These members welcome to attend meetings as they choose.
c)External guests may be invited to attend occasionally on a specific expertise basis
5 / Accountability / a)HUWPG steering group: summary actions after each meeting, plus annual summary report
6 / Review / a)Annual review of objectives and outcomes by HUWPG based on summary report
7 / Meetings / a)Chair – University of Winchester
b)To meet three times per year, agenda circulated 10 days in advance of meeting to include the venue
c)Each meeting to reflect a topic area with an outside speaker to be arranged by the host university
8 / Definition / ‘Vulnerable children and young people’includes children living in care, young carers and care leavers (up to age 25) and children of refugees and asylum seekers. and care leavers (up to age 25). The group can further extend or refine this definition consistent with the objectives and by agreement of the HUWPG Steering Group