Care leavers’ transitions to independence

I mean there is the care experience and estranged student bursary, which gives £3,000 for the entire year, which is really nice. Like I said, it’s the most generous fund out of any university. There is also, [scholarship name] which because my income goes on mine alone because I’m a care leaver and I’m estranged. I get full student loan and I get full [scholarship]. So, [scholarship] has got £6,000. And ideally you can look at that and think it’s enough, but when you consider you also have to pay for vacation residence. You have to pay for food. You have to pay for your living costs outside of vacation. You are not left with very much money and you’re literally, like, in this vacation I’m gonna work as a scout, so a cleaner for my college. And it’s like great, I’m scrubbing toilets to afford my rent next semester whilst my other friends to get sort of go abroad on a trip funded by their parents. It’s that disparity you are really aware of in [university].

I stayed there for two whole years and I’d had enough of the rising prices, it was very, very expensive, very expensive, and it made me lose my mind half the time ’cause I’d be left with like £800 out of the three grand that I’d gotten, and it was just a struggle, huh, yeah.

But [university], especially because of the collegiate system, I think it differs so much between colleges. I mean, for me, I was so lucky that my tutor, my director of studies, they are incredible and they are so supportive. I could pop them an email and they will jump on a Teams call and I can go and meet them. Just sort of have a nervous breakdown and it’s great. Even when I sort of rusticated, even when the college wasn’t really there for me. My tutors were still like,’ we’re just an email away, you can always speak to us,’ which was really nice. 

So, it was when I was in [County], that’s when I got my life under control and I went and did this access course, and then from there, from [City], I came here and then that’s when things started getting better, and I love it here… That I’m… this is the happiest I’ve ever been. I’m really happy.

I’d say my friends. Like we all sort of, I feel at [university], it’s like you’ll be having a late-night sort of crisis, oh what do I do? Call my friend or sort of show up at their door. And I can message my college wives; at like [university] you have a little college family sort of structure. So, if I ever need anything, I’ll knock on their door and it could be four in the morning like, you know, a reasonable hour, and they would be willing to listen to me, which is really nice.

I mean there hasn’t... other than that, I think there is... I think there is like a group chat for undergraduate [university] students, like the uni I wanna go to for students who are on Unibuddy who are waiting to hopefully get into [university], but I haven’t had the time to get onto that.

So, I’ve had two PAs. So, the first one was assigned to me and it was just basic, like paying for things, like decorating my room, and stuff like that. Eventually I spoke to the PA before the one that I had now, and I said, “I’d like to go to university and pursue it,” and he doesn’t really specialise in that, he’s just there to support, so he moved me onto my current PA, and he knows everything about university, like he’s really, really good at it, like he knows how to keep in touch with people and, you know, refer people you know? I know there’s a lot of universities that ask if you’re care experienced now when you apply, and yeah, he was just really good with all the information, and he knew stuff about bursaries that I didn’t even know about, and it’s... like, yeah. And I’m pretty sure he’s had people just go to every single university in the [region of England], so he just knew everything. You know, he’s like the master of universities, like he just knew everything that people need in the [region of England], so yeah, he helped us through that, and also getting me some advice, and supports me with finding jobs as well, yeah, that.

So, at work, I do full time, but it’s like two days, three days a week in uni. And then I work because like ’cause I work I can... don’t have to spend my uni money on buying food and stuff, and spend my work money and that, so I was able to buy a car, I was able to do my driving lessons, and I got 10 free lessons after a thingy from social. Basic... I get... I barely see my PA. Me and my PA are good now. I never really see him, to be fair, but that’s how it’s always been until I’m going through a hard time, I’ll only text him when I need something. I’ll be like, “Can you redo my lifeline,” you know, ’cause I get a free gym pass, I’ll be like, “can you... my rent’s gone up this year, like can you do that for me?” so that’s the only time I’ve any contact with my PA – and other than that – I’m on my own basically.

Like graduation and stuff, they’re giving me some money for that, and also paying for the robes and hat, so... and a bit of the photo money, or whatever, which is absolutely lovely, and I got, was it, £2,000 a year for just being a care leaver, I don’t have to pay back, so it’s been really good because it’s just given me a bit more breathing space, you know?

I think a lot of goal reaching is definitely self-motivated for everyone. I’ve been the kinda kid when I was, like, 10, telling the world how I was going to go to uni. Huh, I was enthusiastic kid, so that never really went away. I mean, I made sure I picked the right subjects, and everything, for the course I wanted to do and, like, I’ve always discussed my goals, and whatever, with the people around me. I do have access to pastoral support at college, so that’s helpful as well.