Moray College UHI

Meeting the needs of Care Leavers

Code of Practice

Who are Care Leavers?

Care leavers are people who have spent time in local authority care, either in residential accommodation, foster care or under supervision orders are home. The poor life outcomes for many young people in care have been well documented and the Scottish Executive report (2007) ‘Looked after children and young people – we can and must do better’ highlights the need for colleges and universities to develop strategies which improve the prospects and outcomes for this group.

Moray College UHI’s Commitment to Care Leavers

From 2008, UCAS application forms have included a field which allows students to disclose if they have spent time in care. We now also have a field in our college application and we have a responsibility to respond to this information.

In order to meet our responsibility to those students who have disclosed, and also in response to Government agenda, Moray college UHI has produced a Plan of Commitment to Care Leavers. The actions resulting from this Plan will be co-ordinated and monitored by The Student Advice Manager but responsibility for the range of actions is shared across the Institution

The Frank Buttle Trust Quality Mark

The Frank Buttle Trust is an organisation with government backing whose remit is to raise awareness of the needs of care leavers and improve the support available to them. The Trust awards a quality mark to those higher education institutions who demonstrate a sound commitment to care leavers.

The commitment expects both Higher and Further education providers to:

 Raise aspirations and achievement

 Ensure that admissions procedures for care leavers are appropriate

 Provide entry and on-going support

 Monitor implementation of the commitment

Purpose of this document

The purpose of this document is to set out the actions identified in our Plan of Commitment to Care Leavers. These actions begin at the pre-entry stage and continue throughout the student journey.

The document is designed both to inform internal and external readers about our provision for care leavers and to ensure those responsible within the Institution are aware of the actions required of them

Building Aspirations

1. All recruitment information, paper and electronic, should acknowledge our commitment to care leavers: prospectus, website, leaflets etc.

2. Recruitment activities should be accessible to care leavers and bespoke events delivered if appropriate, in collaboration with partner institutions.

Admin Centre

1.)Care leavers are specifically mentioned as a group eligible for special consideration in the Admissions Policy.

2)Individualised support is offered to any student who declares they have been in care on the UCAS/ College application. A database of students who have disclosed is created at the start of each new academic year and information shared with Student Guidance who will contact students and invite them in prior to start date to discuss any support issues they may require

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Support for living

1)The Student Funding Team/ Student Services are aware of the financial issues care leavers may have to deal with, and will provide sensitive support and advice.

2)Student Guidance are aware that care leavers may have experienced many difficulties and are sensitive to their situation. If additional counselling is required they shall be referred

3) Information will be available online regarding support and concessions.

Links with Local Authority and other relevant organisations

  • Links with relevant statutory and voluntary organisations, eg
  • Through Care After Care
  • SDS
  • Action for Children
  • School Liaison Officer
  • Employment Support Services
  • Job Centre Plus
  • Beech Brae Education Centre (Inclusion and Support Service)
  • Foster Care
  • Who Cares Scotland (WCS)
  • Aberlour Mentoring
  • Kinship Care

1)Smooth the transition for individual students and also to promote Moray College UHI as a supportive institution.

2) In the case of a student receiving individualised support, an information sharing consent form, signed by the student, would allow student Guidance to communicate with the relevant Local Authority support worker so that any difficulties could be resolved through a joint approach. This would only happen with the student’s consent.

Academic support

  1. The Guidance Team who can offer one to one support for care leavers. Their role will be to: offer impartial pre-entry advice; arrange pre-entry visits in liaison with relevant colleagues; support students over the transition period; maintain contact and be available if difficulties arise; monitor progress and make contact if the student appears to be disengaging; liaise with academic staff if appropriate and if the student wishes; arrange for support from specialised colleagues if appropriate.
  1. All students have a Student Adviser/ Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) whose role is to support their progression and to deal with any issues that arise, signposting to other services where appropriate. All Pat’s/ Student Advisers

will be sent guidelines for working with students who are Care Leavers, and will be able to attend staffdevelopment sessions in order to help them work effectively with these students.

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Training for staff

  1. Guidelines will be produced for staff across the college to enhance their awareness of the needs of care leavers and to highlight issues that are specific to their particular role.

3)Short staff development sessions will be offered during the academic session to provide the opportunity for discussion and sharing of good practice.

Monitoring

  1. A report on our activities relating to care leavers will be written each year as specified by the Frank Buttle Trust.
  1. Application and progression data for Care Leaves will be collected and analysed on an ongoing basis