There are lots of external organisations that provide support advice and guidance for Care Leavers, Care Experienced and/or are Estranged Students. We have highlighted a few of these below:
Unite Foundation - All of Us
All of Us is an online and in person community for estranged and care experienced students across the UK. They run free in-person events and meet ups open to all students who identify as care experienced and estranged.
Barnados
Barnardos help young people bridge the gap between living in care and independent living.
Become Charity
Become Charity is a charity that provides support for young people in care and care leavers. There are lots of different ways Become can help you, from ongoing coaching, helping you in stressful situations, to providing a friendly space to meet other care-experienced young people. Become’s website, Propel, also provides information on the support available to you at colleges and universities across the UK. Become also offers a bespoke coaching programme for Care Experienced young people aged 16 to 27.
The Care Leavers Association
Care Leavers Association (CLA) is a charity aimed at improving the lives of care experienced people of all ages. They run campaigns and projects, advocate for change at all levels of government, and provide training for a range of organisations. The Young People’s Project offers advice and support on Leaving Care rights and entitlements, as well as signposting to services that can offer assistance. They aim to improve the current care system, improve the quality of life of care leavers throughout their life and change for the better society’s perception of people who have been in care.
Coram Voice
Coram Voice will help you if you are in care, leaving care, have or need a social worker.
They will help get your voice heard, tell you about your rights, give you the support you need through their advocates and work with you to improve the care system.
EACS guide
EACS (estranged and care-experienced students) guide is a virtual guide written by estranged and care experienced students to bring together information and advice to help other students from the same background.
Estranged Students’ Network (ESN) is a UK-wide, student-led network, aiming to support and assist estranged students navigating academia.
Eagle House Trust
The Eagle House Education Trust offers financial help for students who have lived in care in Somerset.
Friendship Works
Friendship Works work with care leavers aged 18-25 across London to match them with trained volunteer mentors who support them to access new opportunities, build self-confidence and develop resilience.
Local Authority Support
Your Local Authority still has a duty of care for you whilst you are in Higher Education and planning for this should have been undertaken in your Pathway Plan.
They have a duty to maintain contact and to provide support through a Personal Adviser as well as to assist with costs of education, employment and training. (Leaving Care Act 2000).
The National Network for the Education of Care Leavers - NNECL
The National Network for the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL) supports professionals working with care experienced and estranged students.
The NNECL website provides information on events and further resources. NewGrad have a private Facebook group exclusive to estranged students & graduates.
Propel promotes Higher Education to young people who have care experience or who are estranged
Rees Foundation
The Rees Foundation provide advice and support for care-experienced people of any age- including their Uni:fy online sessions for care experienced university students up and down the country to come together, connect and share their experiences of university life.
Rights4Children
Rights4Children supports your preparation for and starting your adult life. You have many rights to advice and support.
Together Estranged
Together Estranged is an international peer-support group that aims is to support and empower those estranged from family. ‘We empower people who’ve lost family relationships due to childhood trauma, abuse, lack of acceptance for being LGBTQ+ and more, promoting their strength and inner healing.’