Estranged from Family or Care Experienced?

Introduction

Navigating university without family support or after experiencing the care system can present unique challenges. However, you are not alone—support is available. This page, created by students, researchers, and professionals, offers tailored tools and resources to guide you through your university journey.

Understanding the Relationship Between Care Experience, Estrangement, and Social Connection

Only 13% of care-experienced young people attend university by the age of 19, compared to 43% of their peers [1]. Additionally, 48% of care-experienced students report feeling lonely, compared to 26% of their peers [2], and they are 38% more likely to drop out than non-care-experienced students [3]. Care-experienced students may struggle with feeling a sense of belonging at university, and many have faced adverse childhood experiences, making social integration more challenging [4]. Estranged students often face similar challenges, including financial difficulty, housing insecurity, and social isolation [5].

Building a Plan of Action

  • UCAS has added a section to the application where students can indicate if they are estranged. This allows universities to be aware of your circumstances and offer the necessary support. This might include signposting financial assistance, assigning a staff member to answer your questions, or providing a contextual offer. There is no shame in doing this—it could be the best way to access the support you need!

  • Check your Student Union website for information on any dedicated networks and societies for care experienced or estranged students.

Ask a Friend

University Life as an Estranged Student: An anonymous blog on coping with university life as an estranged student. (Read Time: 5 minutes)

Navigating University with Care Experience: A series of videos where care experienced students talk about navigating university and provide insight into their experiences. (Watch Time: 14 minutes)

Share Your Story: Help fellow students learn from your experiences and feel less alone. Contribute to Student Minds, the UK’s leading student mental health charity, and ensure your voice reaches those who need it most.

What Other Support Is Available?

  • A series of videos on how to deal with toxic family members as a care experienced or estranged student.

  • A series of advice and information created by and curated for estranged and care experienced students in the UK, involving information on practical support, financial support, relationships and self-care.

  • EaCES, as part of their handbook, have put together a list of ways estranged, and care-experienced students can meet other students with similar experiences.

  • A brief guide for care leavers on how to take care of mental health when moving to university by the Charlie Waller Trust. (Read Time: 20 minutes)

  • This charity offers services to estranged adults to prevent them from becoming vulnerable whilst also raising awareness about estrangement.

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  1. Office for Students (2020) Care experienced students and looked after children, Office for Students. Available at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/for-providers/equality-of-opportunity/effective-practice/care-experienced/ (Accessed: 29 September 2024).

  2. Neves, J., & Stephenson, R. (2023). Student Academic Experience Survey 2023, Higher Education Policy Institute. Available at: https://www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Student-Academic-Experience-Survey-2023.pdf (Accessed: 29 September 2024).

  3. Stevenson, J., Baker, Z., Harrison, N., Bland, B., Jones-Devitt, S., Donnelly, A., Pickering, N., Austen, L., Fearn, C., Heaton, C., & Ward, L. (2020). Positive Impact? Unite Foundation. Available at: https://thisisusatuni.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/PositiveImpactReport2020_UniteFoundation_SheffieldHallamUniversity.pdf (Accessed: 29 September 2024).

  4. Davies, E., Read, J., & Shevlin, M. (2021). The impact of adverse childhood experiences and recent life events on anxiety and quality of life in university students. Higher Education, 84(1), 211-224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-021-00774-9

  5. Office for Students (2020) Estranged students, Office for Students. Available at: https://officeforstudents.org.uk/for-providers/equality-of-opportunity/effective-practice/estranged-students/ (Accessed: 29 September 2024).