The ‘success’ of Looked After Children in Higher Education in England: near peer coaching, ‘small steps’ and future thinking

ABSTRACT

This paper addresses the shortage of studies on the ‘success’ of care-experienced young people in Higher Education (HE) internationally. It draws on the findings of a study of a near peer, pre-entry coaching intervention developed in England to address stakeholders’ concerns around a lack of ‘success’ post entry to university, linked to gaps in knowledge and the challenge of providing ongoing support. In delivering reciprocal benefits to the coaches, some of whom were care-experienced themselves, the HE Champions model promoted the possibility of longer term ‘success’. The personalised nature of the young people’s programme experiences and difficulties in recruitment highlighted the need for ‘success’ to be conceptualised as ‘small steps’ despite pressure to deliver more measurable outcomes. The research also highlighted the importance of reflexive, human-scale systems that put care and relationships at the centre.

KEYWORDS:

• First-year experience
• peer learning
• retention
• student diversity
• university

Acknowledgements

The views expressed in the paper are our own and we would like to thank Aimhigher London South for funding the research and all the other stakeholders and research participants for their support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Goldsmiths; Kingston University London; London South Bank University; SOAS; St George’s University London; St Mary’s University Twickenham; University of Roehampton; University of Sussex.

2. Croydon, Hammersmith and Fulham; Kensington and Chelsea; Lewisham; Merton; Wandsworth; Westminster.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Aimhigher London South.