Chloe
Chloe entered care as a young child and was separated from her siblings. After spending a few years with a positive foster family, she and her siblings were meant to return to their mother’s care. When that did not work out, they went to live with their father, which Chloe found difficult. She later moved in with her grandfather, becoming his carer until he sadly passed away. With no other option, Chloe returned to her father until she became homeless at 16. She was homeless for several months before securing a place in supported accommodation (a foyer), where she lived alongside other care-experienced and estranged young people. She stayed there until moving to university, where she now has year-round student accommodation.
Chloe is a White British woman in her early twenties who is currently a full-time university student studying for her degree.
More about me...
When I was homeless, my school – especially the safeguarding team – helped me the most. They connected me with supported accommodation, and once I was there, my support worker helped me build basic life skills and apply for universal credit. I’m really grateful for that help, but I found that the accommodation didn’t have right support in place for young people applying for university. I wasn’t told what I was entitled to as a care leaver and only learned about it through my tutors once I arrived at university.
Living in supported accommodation during the Covid-19 lockdown was incredibly hard. We weren’t allowed to mix with others, and many of us felt completely alone. My mental health was badly affected. I also felt that the staff – while well-meaning – didn’t understand what it’s like to be in care or estranged from family, which made it harder to connect or ask for help.
At university, I’ve become very involved in societies and campaigns that focus on supporting care-experienced and estranged students. I’m passionate about improving support, raising awareness, and making sure no young person feels as isolated or unseen as I did.
Chloe didn’t receive leaving care support because she left care before the age of 16.
Chloe didn’t receive leaving care support because she left care before the age of 16.
What do you know about your rights as a care leaver? What support you are entitled to. Like if you have, did you have a local care leaver offer or anything like that?
Yes, offer as in like to university?
No. So I guess when you leave care, you have a care, they’ll tell you what your entitlements are.
Yeah. Because I left care and it was before 16, I wasn’t entitled to that. So, I obviously had support. I had, due to my estrangement and living in supported accommodation. But I wasn’t really aware.
Chloe led campaigns to improve representation for care experienced students, created networks for support, and joined a national charity to influence policy.
Chloe led campaigns to improve representation for care experienced students, created networks for support, and joined a national charity to influence policy.
I’ve got involved with a lot of policy issue activism work, especially with care experience, with estranged students. So last summer I actually hosted the UK’s first ever open day for care experience with estranged students and since then, [university] did what [university] do and they stole my idea and they’re now doing one. But it’s really great. I’m actually doing that again. I am helping the outreach department host that in multiple different colleges. I’m not sure if you’ve ever heard of the Class Act campaign that was student union campaign helping state educated working class students. And they have an officer for care experience and estranged students. So, I did a lot of work with them, putting information out there and providing representation for students.
Yes, so I am actually on the trustee, sorry, the sounding board for a charity called, [Name]. They are a charity for care experience and estranged students. They like provide a little network for all of us to sort of meet and support other students. And it’s nice having that recognition like we set up a little chat when we could all sort of, ‘oh hey, my university hasn’t helped me secure accommodation’ or ‘hey, I need help with access, help accessing my care files’ or really sort of give each other that day-to-day support which is really nice. But again, it’s another example of student led proactivity in supporting each other.
Chloe entered care at the age of five and felt safe and part of a community with her foster family but found returning to her father's care traumatic.
Chloe entered care at the age of five and felt safe and part of a community with her foster family but found returning to her father's care traumatic.
My experience of care, so I first went in when I was five. Originally, me and my siblings we were all separated. However, my two siblings were put together and I was left on my own in a foster placement. So, we were all put with foster families. I was quite lucky, I’d say, but I don’t think the word should be lucky. My experience was really positive. I lived with a couple, and they have their child who was at university and so I never really saw him. I had my own room. The family next door actually adopted and the family across the road also fostered. So, I was around other children in my situation which was really nice. They were my age. My foster carers were lovely. I mean, I described it as the best experience of my life. It was really sort of like normal family experience of going to restaurants and got taken to parks. I got to do clubs like dancing. So, it was really sort of that childhood experience I needed. And sort of, it was quite difficult moving away from that foster family back transitioning into my home life. I think that was quite difficult leaving the foster family and going back to my father. I wasn’t really that close to my father. It was more my grandpa who I was very close with. And I remember and so I’ve actually read my care files, which is interesting seeing it from the perspective now from when I was a child and how I sort of reacted. I remember being quite angry that I was taken away. I sort of wanted to live with my grandpa, but also not leave care. So, it was quite difficult. I had some sort of contact with my foster carers, my social worker when I transitioned out of care, but eventually had to cut off and that was quite traumatic for me because I had the stability of having these foster carers. And then it felt like it was kind of taken away. It felt like a punishment. So, you know, like care was a really positive experience for me. The social workers they were in and out of our lives. There were sort of issues being at home. My mother had severe mental health issues. My father was slightly abusive and we reported that and that’s when social intervention came back in. So, whilst we never were really in care past the age of nine. We did have a lot of social work interventions, so yeah.
Chloe was grateful for the support she received but said she needed more emotional support when she left care.
Chloe was grateful for the support she received but said she needed more emotional support when she left care.
They would look at independent living skills. They would give us support when we applied for Universal Credit and Housing Benefits. They’d set up meetings at the Job Centre for us. If we needed to, they’d help us find sort of apprenticeships or college. But sort of, for me, I kind of was already at college and so it wasn’t as, as difficult in that aspect. They were there to provide support sort of transitioning and applying to university, but I found they weren’t really informed. So, the support we got wasn’t really adequate. I feel like given my experience, I was quite independent living already. So, the support they gave me wasn’t really useful it was kind of just, it was financial advice I needed to apply for benefits. Other than that, obviously I am grateful for the support they gave me, but I didn’t really find it useful. So, it kind of felt like I was living alone, wasn’t much support. What I really needed was that emotional support. I think that was the most difficult aspect of completely being alone once you sort of lost that family support. Lost that care support and no sort of structure in place. So, yeah.
Chloe said she felt heard when she found a counsellor who had similar experiences, because others often said they understood, without really listening.
Chloe said she felt heard when she found a counsellor who had similar experiences, because others often said they understood, without really listening.
I struggled with mental health during that time. I think my support worker wasn’t really helpful. The support was kind of just either, “keep your spirits up you’ll be fine,” mostly. I appreciate the support that was there. It just, there was no real understanding. Support workers have no lived experience of what it was like and so it made it quite difficult. I found sort of the counsellors and the team at CAMHS, and the safeguarding leads, they have no lived experience what it was like and it was really difficult to resonate and really get that support. And it was only when I found my counsellor at college, who had actually lived in a foyer like I did when they were younger, and also homeless. I thought, oh I finally feel heard. It was really nice and that was the first sort of time I really felt supported. So, yeah.
Did they try to understand?
They did what their text-books and their degrees that taught them to. Stuff like, you have intervention strategies or your phrases that you say like, ‘I am here for you. I understand it must be difficult.’ And it’s like you don’t. And l’d hear this phrase twenty times a day, it doesn’t mean anything. You are not listening to me. It kind of felt like you were hitting a brick wall when you needed support, sometimes. So, yeah.
Chloe said moving to university reminded her of emergency moves in care. She had no practical help and had to take everything with her because she didn’t have a home to leave things at.
Chloe said moving to university reminded her of emergency moves in care. She had no practical help and had to take everything with her because she didn’t have a home to leave things at.
But it was just so isolating. The other big issue is that like the practicality of moving from sort of [City] to [City]. You don’t have a family to help you move your stuff out. You are moving your entire, you can’t leave things at home, because there is no home to leave it at. So, you have to bring every single belonging you have. It’s like, I remember like when you pack up your stuff for care, I remember social workers coming and you’ve got half an hour, pack a bag up and you move to the new placement. It’s like I felt like that all over again. It was like, great, I’ve gotta pack my bags and rush down to [City] and go. And it’s like a game. When you are having to move out every eight weeks, it’s like, great, pack a bag and let’s move out, let’s go. I’m almost an expert now and it helps you, sort of, you’ve moved out so many times, you’ve packed your bags and your belongings, you get used to it. But, sort of like moving to university, there was no support there, which is quite difficult. Luckily, I had somebody who volunteered sort of drive me down, and help me with all that, which was really really nice. But, yeah, like the accommodation with the support worker didn’t really offer any support at all.
Chloe lived in a foyer with around 60 other care leavers and estranged students, but said staff didn’t have the knowledge to support her properly with going to university.
Chloe lived in a foyer with around 60 other care leavers and estranged students, but said staff didn’t have the knowledge to support her properly with going to university.
I found supported accommodation placement and so I lived in a foyer with about sixty other estranged and care leaver students. So, you had to be in education to be in the foyer. And then we had a support worker. We had a team around us. And, obviously, in the 6th form I had regular meetings, as safeguarding leads that sort of intervention. So, the support worker we had regular meetings at least once a month, they sort of worked in the building we lived in. So, you could go downstairs during the office hours and speak to them. At the meetings we’d look at safety plans.
Although grateful for the support she received Chloe found it unhelpful and needed more emotional support, as it felt lonely without family.
Although grateful for the support she received Chloe found it unhelpful and needed more emotional support, as it felt lonely without family.
So, the support they gave me wasn’t really useful, it was kind of, just, it were financial advice I needed to apply for benefits. Other than that, obviously I am grateful for the support they gave me, but I didn’t really find it useful. So, it kind of felt like I was living alone, wasn’t much support. What I really needed was that emotional support. I think that was the most difficult aspect of completely being alone once you sort of lost that family support. Lost that care support and no sort of structure in place. So, yeah.
Chloe found the move to university isolating at first, and said that having to move rooms every eight weeks reminded her of sudden moves when she was still in care.
Chloe found the move to university isolating at first, and said that having to move rooms every eight weeks reminded her of sudden moves when she was still in care.
So, it was, I can remember, so I mentioned I did [university programme] the residential and I was just crying every night in my room, like, I can’t be here, I’m going to drop out. And like, I’ve got an offer from [university] and I’m not going to drop out. But it was just so isolating. The other big issue is the practicality of moving from [City] to [City]. You don’t have a family to help you move your stuff out. You are moving your entire, you can’t leave things at home, because there is no home to leave it at. So, you have to bring every single belonging you have. It’s like, I remember when you pack up your stuff for care, I remember social workers coming and it’s like you’ve got half an hour, pack a bag up and you move to the new placement. It’s like, I felt like that all over again. It was like, great, I’ve gotta pack my bags and rush down to [City] and go. And it’s like a game. When you are having to move out every eight weeks, it’s like, great, pack a bag and let’s move out, let’s go. I’m almost an expert now and it helps you sort of; you’ve moved out so many times, you’ve packed your bags and your belongings. You get used to it. But, sort of like moving to university like, there was no support there, which is quite difficult. Luckily, I had somebody who volunteered, sort of, drive me down help me with all that, which was really, really nice. But, yeah, like the accommodation with the support worker didn’t really offer any support at all.
Chloe talked about how hard money was at university, saying she had to clean toilets to afford rent while friends went on holidays paid for by their parents.
Chloe talked about how hard money was at university, saying she had to clean toilets to afford rent while friends went on holidays paid for by their parents.
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].
Chloe said her friends and partner were her main support, calling her friends her ‘college wives’ who she could call day or night.
Chloe said her friends and partner were her main support, calling her friends her ‘college wives’ who she could call day or night.
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.
Chloe talked about forming close, trusted friendships with others who had lived through similar trauma.
Chloe talked about forming close, trusted friendships with others who had lived through similar trauma.
I really appreciated living in a building with sixty other people who had been through the same thing that I had. Whether it was homelessness or like they had been in care. They sort of, we were all sort of estranged from our families in different circumstances. [erm] So, I made friends through that way. I’m still friends with some of them that had gone off to uni or whatever. Who I still sort of keep in touch with today. We sort of had that traumatic experience together. We all lived in the accommodation together. It was a little friendship sort of trauma bond I’d say, we all understood it and helped each other through. That was another big form of support I would say. And even now I’m at university I think my closest friends are the ones who are estranged, or they are care leavers, or have been through that sort of family trauma, whether it’s having a parent with severe mental health illness or it’s those who have also been young carers.
Chloe felt workers used phrases from a textbook instead of actually listening, which was hard after having foster carers who genuinely cared.
Chloe felt workers used phrases from a textbook instead of actually listening, which was hard after having foster carers who genuinely cared.
They did what their text-books and their degrees that taught them to. Stuff like you have intervention strategies or your phrases that you say like, ‘I am here for you. I understand it must be difficult.’ And it’s like you don’t. And l’d hear this phrase like twenty times a day, it doesn’t mean anything. You are not listening to me. It kind of felt like you were hitting a brick wall when you needed support, sometimes. So, yeah. That’s why I find it quite difficult as well moving from my foster family because I really felt like they understood me. They, because I was the only child there. I got a lot of one-on-one time and they really focused on my needs and they really listened to me. It was like, if I needed someone, I had them there straight away and going from that, and had, also with my grandpa as well. And then suddenly having nothing, or you had this support here, but it wasn’t really supportive, it was really difficult.
Chloe said her tutors were incredibly supportive, always an email away and ready to talk when she needed them.
Chloe said her tutors were incredibly supportive, always an email away and ready to talk when she needed them.
I mean, for me, I was so lucky that sort of 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.
Chloe described how her most effective support came from those with similar experiences.
Chloe described how her most effective support came from those with similar experiences.
I think the counsellor is one big thing, and also I really appreciated living in a building with sixty other people who had been through the same thing that I had. Whether it was homelessness or like they had been in care. They, sort of, we were all sort of estranged from our families in different circumstances. So, I made friends through that way. I’m still friends with some of them that had gone off to uni, or whatever. Who I still sort of keep in touch with today. We had that traumatic experience together. We all lived in the accommodation together. It was a little friendship sort of trauma bond I’d say we all understood it, and helped each other through. That was another big form of support I would say. And even now I’m at university I think my closest friends are the ones who are estranged, or they are care leavers, or have been through that sort of family trauma, whether it’s having a parent with severe mental health illness or it’s those who have also been young carers.
Chloe was still supported by her sixth form counsellor because university services didn’t understand her experiences or the need for ongoing support.
Chloe was still supported by her sixth form counsellor because university services didn’t understand her experiences or the need for ongoing support.
So, I have a counsellor. It’s actually the one that I had at 6th form. Once I got to College, they have a counsellor within my college, rather than the uni, main university service. And actually, I tried speaking to, she was really lovely, but again, it’s that issue where they don’t have that lived experience. It feels very like blanket approach. Sort of, I remember starting the session where she said ‘usually we give students three sessions and if they need more they can go to the wider university service’. And I finished telling her my circumstances and she went, ‘Yeah you can have unlimited counselling sessions.’ [Laughs] It was like, the fact that you sort of have to grapple for unlimited mental health support even though technically the university has already agreed to no cap on counselling is a bit rubbish. But I just found it wasn’t working out. She wasn’t really trained to understand the difficulties that care experience or estranged that it presents. So, I went back to my old counsellor who actually gives me sessions for free, given my kind of circumstances, which is really nice. So, yeah, that was the main sort of mental health support I think I’ve accessed. And then again, like I mentioned director of studies, who sort of, if you need any academic support, or if there is any support in college like vacation residences that I need help with, they will support and secure that.
Chloe felt that it was difficult for others to provide emotional support if they didn’t have any understanding of what care leavers had been through.
Chloe felt that it was difficult for others to provide emotional support if they didn’t have any understanding of what care leavers had been through.
So, I was quite used to living independently because I essentially lived with my grandpa but I was very independent there. So, the transition wasn’t too bad. I just think it, we essentially had our own flat and I was completely alone. Like my grandpa wasn’t there at that point. So, it was really isolating and I was quite lonely. I struggled with mental health during that time. I think my support worker wasn’t really helpful. The support was kind of just either, “keep your spirits up you’ll be fine”, mostly. I appreciate the support that was there. It just, there was no real understanding. Support workers have no lived experience of what it was like, and so it made it quite difficult. I found the counsellors and the team at CAMHS, and the safeguarding leads, they have no lived experience what it was like, and it was really difficult to resonate and really get that support. And it was only when I found my counsellor at college, who had actually lived in a foyer like I did when they were younger, and also homeless, I thought, oh I finally feel heard. It was really nice, and that was the first sort of time I really felt supported. So, yeah.
Chloe received a bursary and scholarship for university but still needed to work to cover her expenses.
Chloe received a bursary and scholarship for university but still needed to work to cover her expenses.
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.
Chloe received a bursary to help her get the essential items she needed when she moved to university.
Chloe received a bursary to help her get the essential items she needed when she moved to university.
So, the transition to university was from when I finished my A Levels in July to October, when you arrive to [university]. So, the support that you kind of gave was, have you applied for student loans? Do you know you, have you set up your accommodation? Do you know where you are going? There was also a grant you could apply for, for the things you needed and all like pots and pans, the bedding and that sort of thing which they help you apply for. Get some clothes for interviews and that sort of thing. And then, apart from that, once I got to university and once I actually got to [City], because I arrived in September to do [university programme] which is like a residential outreach programme for disadvantaged students. I came here in September and that was it. There was no more support and you were cut off.
Chloe felt that the support offered was often one-size-fits-all and not designed for the realities of being a care leaver.
Chloe felt that the support offered was often one-size-fits-all and not designed for the realities of being a care leaver.
So, I have a counsellor. It’s actually the one that I had at 6th form. Once I got to college, they have a counsellor within my college, rather than the uni, main university service. And actually, I tried speaking to, she was really lovely, but again, it’s that issue where, they don’t have that lived experience. It feels very like blanket approach. Sort of, I remember starting the session where she said usually we give students three sessions and if they need more they can go to the wider university service. And I finished telling her my circumstances and she went, ‘Yeah you can have unlimited counselling sessions.’ [Laughs] It was like, the fact that you sort of have to grapple for unlimited mental health support even though technically the university has already agreed to no cap on counselling is a bit rubbish. But I, I just found it wasn’t working out. She wasn’t really trained to understand the difficulties that care experience or estranged that it presents.
Chloe explained that workers without lived experience could never understand, and she only felt heard when she started seeing a counsellor with similar experiences.
Chloe explained that workers without lived experience could never understand, and she only felt heard when she started seeing a counsellor with similar experiences.
I struggled with mental health during that time. I think my support worker wasn’t really helpful. The support was kind of just either “keep your spirits up you’ll be fine”, mostly. I appreciate the support that was there. It just, there was no real understanding. Support workers have no lived experience of what it was like and so it made it quite difficult. I found sort of the counsellors and the team at CAMHS, and the safeguarding leads. They have no lived experience what it was like and it was really difficult to resonate and really get that support. And it was only when I found my counsellor at college. Who had actually lived in a foyer like I did when they were younger and also homeless. I thought, oh I finally feel heard. It was really nice and that was the first sort of time I really felt supported. So, yeah.
Chloe described the pandemic as extremely isolating, with strict rules and security guards for those living in supported accommodation.
Chloe described the pandemic as extremely isolating, with strict rules and security guards for those living in supported accommodation.
The pandemic was awful. I mean, for everybody, everyone was sort of having negative experiences. But I think especially for people sort of living in supported accommodation or without their family support. It was horrible. I mean, it’s just you were essentially left on your own. Especially with the lockdown having to stay isolated, not being allowed to leave for more than sort of sixty minutes of a day. We didn’t have a garden. It was just a flat. It was like being trapped in a room like this and you couldn’t leave for six months on end. I mean, it drove you crazy. Quite literally some people in some senses. I mean, like I said, there were sixty people in the building and sort of if you left your room and you stood at the end of the corridor talking to another person, security would come up and tell you to go back in your room.
Just because someone appears to be quite independent does not mean that they don’t need support .
Just because someone appears to be quite independent does not mean that they don’t need support .
I was mentioning my experience in supported accommodation, I’d say, I was quite highly independent. And actually, the way that my support worker said it was like, ‘Oh, you are quite high functioning independent so you won’t really need my support.’ It’s like, well, actually I will, just in different ways and you really should consider that. Sort of considering language you use and the phrases you use, are they appropriate? Are they sensitive, insensitive? It, maybe quite completely, like, you don’t mean to do it. There is no ill-will. It’s like to think about my support worker, the safeguarding staff and all sort of things. I wouldn’t ever say they were malicious in the way they treat you. They are just unaware. And it’s like you could have all this safeguard training and you can sort of go to your conferences, or whatever. But you will never really understand unless you’ve lived through what it’s like to be us. So, the best thing you can do is listen and have that experience and try your best to go and look at how you could help that student. Like for me, if they are interested in going to a highly competitive university like [university], maybe you can’t help with their personal statement support, but you can look at resources you can give them or, you know, you could speak to your own colleagues and say, oh this student has gone through this experience,what can I recommend to them? It might take five or ten extra minutes out of your day, but really, just try and make the effort, because what we are going through is sort of horrible, we’re really alone sometimes and that extra five or ten minutes can make all the difference. So, yeah.
As a foster carer you are not just giving a home. Chloe knows that she was not ‘an angel’ when she was first fostered and it can be a long process to establish trust.
As a foster carer you are not just giving a home. Chloe knows that she was not ‘an angel’ when she was first fostered and it can be a long process to establish trust.
Okay, well, sounds good. Anything for like foster carers or kinship carers or anything like that?
I think again individual experience, like, especially for me. I remember I was not an angel when I first arrived at my foster carers. I told them every lie under the sun. I lied. I remember a funny story when I said I had packed lunches and not free school meals. So, I arrived at school on the first day. The teacher came out and went, oh, [Name] you are on packed lunches now. My face turned so bright. I was like, oh no, I’ve been caught out. But it’s like, it’s really really hard to trust this random person.
You’re basically picked up out of your environment and plummeted into this random sort of person’s house or this foster home, or whatever. You are now around these people and it’s like to really, my foster carers were brilliant with it, but they really took their time to help me break down those walls and trust them. I think it’s really important to spend the time and sort of, when you can’t connect with your foster child, don’t give up. It’s like, eventually you will get there. It can be a long process. There’s a lot of complex trauma involved in what they’ve been through and sort of the abuse, whether it’s emotional, physical, whatever that they’ve endured in their home environment with their parents that you now have to sort of help them unravel, so they can experience normal childhood. So, really, just give them your time of day. Listening to them. Considering like I said what they personally need is really important. So, yeah.
I mean, it’s what you sign up to do [laughs] so.
Yeah.
You are not just giving them a home. You are giving them that stable environment and that second chance. I think if I’d never had that sort of foster care intervention where I had, even though it’s just three years, I had that experience of a normal stability and childhood home, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t be who I am. I wouldn’t be at [university]. I would be on a completely different trajectory, and it probably wouldn’t be a positive one. So, yeah.
Chloe studied at a university made up of different colleges and felt well supported, saying her tutors were always only an email away, even when she took a break from her studies.
Chloe studied at a university made up of different colleges and felt well supported, saying her tutors were always only an email away, even when she took a break from her studies.
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.