1. Estranged learners Becca Bland, Chief Executive, Stand Alone
Nicola Turner, Policy Executive, UCAS
Jeni Clack, Admissions Support Manager, SPA
In order of speaker

3. What is a family relationship lacking to make it estranged?
Positive Contact
Financial Support
Emotional Acceptance and/or Support

5. Who are estranged students?

7. Have you had any contact with the local authority care system?

10. The Stand Alone Pledge

11. 23 HEIs have pledged to support estranged learners

12. @UKstandalone
Get in touch:

14. How UCAS is supporting estranged learners
Nicola Turner, Policy Executive, UCAS

15. Application question When? 2019 cycle Why?
Current inefficiencies in how HEPs identify estranged learners
Improve the process to match support to learner
Impact on drop-out rates?
How?
Extensive work with SPA, HEPs, Stand Alone, SLC, internal colleagues
User testing

16. Information and advice
Fees and funding – clarifying what is available
Student finance (independent)
Other government support (e.g. travel expenses)
Bursaries, scholarships, awards and grants (e.g. Unite)
Provider-specific funding (e.g. support packages)
Accommodation – identifying concerns
Year-round accommodation
Affordability and budgeting
Deposits and guarantors
Health and wellbeing – recognising wider needs
Mental health support
Mentoring and buddy networks
Counselling

17. Internal training
Training sessions for our Customer Experience Centre staff have been planned later this month.
Further internal briefing sessions are planned for the following months

18. National Union of Students
Building relationships
Student Loans Company
WP and support staff in universities and colleges
National Union of Students
Stand Alone
Reviewing material
Sharing experiences and expertise
Sharing and providing website content
User testing
Collaboration at events
Sharing and comparing vocabulary and definitions
Fact-checking
Sharing progress
Inviting feedback

19. Thank you

20. Supporting estranged students throughout the applicant experience
@SPA_Admissions
Supporting estranged students throughout the applicant experience
Jeni Clack, Admissions Support Manager

21. What is the applicant experience?
Pre-applicant
Applicant
Student
Graduate
Aspiration-raising, outreach and marketing
Student experience and success
Admissions
pre-application
post-application
application
transition

22. Why is a good applicant experience important?
Good experience
… mutually beneficial
… prepares, informs and provides equality of opportunity
… accurately matches
… improves retention and enhances mission
Poor experience
… inherently detrimental
… perpetuates barriers and disengages
… risks incongruence
… unfulfilled potential and increased drop-out

23. The applicant experience for estranged students
What are the specific support needs of estranged students in admissions?
What’s already being done within admissions? What intelligence/ data/expertise exists?
What more could be done in admissions? What’s missing?
Successful support in outreach, retention and other areas?

24. Suggested recommendations
Have clear definitions
Promote support through policy
Implement a communication plan
Ensure an integrated applicant experience
Include ‘estranged student’ within a contextualised admissions approach

25. Student feedback University of Salford, Manchester
“…recognise that not all young people you are talking to will have families. Your message should be inclusive.... Information on specialised support available should be easily accessible… work actively with organisations that work with young estranged people to reinforce the message that university is for us.”

26. Student feedback University of Salford, Manchester
“… the period between leaving college or school and starting university can be lonely, isolating and bewildering without family support so we would like you to foster a relationship with us before we come to university… help us through this period of transition with advice, guidance and support… opportunities to disclose, our estrangement, in a safe and confidential way, throughout the process and including at registration.”

27. Thank you
Any questions? Please don’t hesitate to contact the SPA team:
All of our resources are freely available on our website:
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28. How can you help estranged students in the application process?