Purpose of the Network
The Care Experienced, Student Carers and Estranged Students Community of Practice brings together staff from Scotland’s colleges who support learners with care experience, caring responsibilities, or estrangement from family. It provides a supportive, solution-focused forum to share practice, explore what works in supporting access, retention and progression, and discuss how colleges can deliver consistent, learner-centred support. The group also offers a space to hear from partners, surface common challenges, and help shape sector feedback on policy and practice.
Focus of This Session/Current Priorities
-
Sharing effective approaches to identifying and supporting learners, including safe disclosure, communications, and referral routes.
-
Comparing models of support, including dedicated roles, cross-college processes, and joined-up work between student services, funding and curriculum teams.
-
Exploring practical supports that reduce barriers, such as flexible learning arrangements, attendance and assessment considerations, and wellbeing support.
-
Sharing practice on financial support and signposting, including discretionary/hardship support and navigating external funding routes.
-
Keeping up to date with national developments and partner activity, and agreeing collective feedback where appropriate.
Who May Wish to Attend
This group is aimed at staff with responsibility for supporting care experienced learners, student carers and estranged students, including student support and guidance teams, wellbeing and counselling services, widening access and inclusion leads, student funding and bursary teams, curriculum managers, and quality or data colleagues involved in monitoring outcomes.