University of Stirling Corporate Parenting Plan 2021-2024

1.1 The foundation of the University’s Strategic Plan 2016-2021 is that Stirling is a place “where ability – not background – is valued.” We strive to create an open, inclusive environment where all students are empowered to achieve their learning goals. Our reputation for supporting students from non-traditional pathways is well established, but we must continue to adapt and innovate to ensure that those students who need additional care receive support that is tailored and meaningful to their circumstances.

1.2 The University’s Corporate Parenting Plan is based on this core principle. We want our students with care experience to feel supported to access all that the University has to offer, in a way that works for them, so that their time at Stirling is as fulfilling and enriching as any other student.

2.1 The term ‘corporate parenting’ refers to “an organisation's performance of actions necessary to uphold the rights and secure the wellbeing of a looked after child or care leaver, and through which physical, emotional, spiritual, social and educational development is promoted, from infancy through to adulthood. In other words, corporate parenting is about certain organisations listening to the needs, fears and wishes of children and young people, and being proactive and determined in their collective efforts to meet them.” (Scottish Government, 2015)

2.2 The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 places a statutory duty on the University to be coherent and proactive in its efforts to meet the needs of children and young people with care experience.

2.3 Specifically, the Act requires the University to:

• be alert to matters which might adversely affect the wellbeing of looked after and care experienced children and young people
• assess the needs of those children and young people for services and support it provides
• promote the interests of those children and young people
• seek to provide those children and young people with opportunities to participate in activities designed to promote their wellbeing, and take appropriate action to help those individuals access and make use of these opportunities, services, and support
• take action to improve as a corporate parent
• collaborate with other corporate parents
• prepare, consult, publish, and keep under review a Corporate Parenting Plan, and report on fulfilment of corporate parenting duties

2.4 The University’s Corporate Parenting Plan has been compiled in accordance with this duty and is integrated with Stirling’s broader institutional commitment to Widening Participation. This includes both the University’s Student Experience Framework, which sets out our commitment to ensuring that all students feel Supported, Connected, Organised, Prepared and Evolved, and our Equality Outcomes 2021-2025 which include commitments to “ensure that effective, reasonable and proportionate support is provided to address residual barriers to success for those who are…care experienced or a student carer.” (Equality Outcome 5b)

3.1 The University recognises and respects the diverse nature of learner journeys. There is no single route to studying at university, and different routes to higher education require tailored support to meet the needs of the student – both in terms of access to University, and throughout a student’s time in higher education.

3.2 The University is committed to Widening Access and continues to build on the expectations set out by the Scottish Government and the route map published by the sector in 2017, Working to Widen Access. We know that not all applicants have the same opportunities, and we operate a contextual approach to admissions that assesses applications in conjunction with personal and educational circumstances.

3.3 Beyond access and admission, we aim to support success by providing high quality, effective and comprehensive support, so that our students feel knowledgeable, empowered and confident when embarking on and during their university career. We understand the importance of a sense of belonging; being part of a community and feeling connected to the University, staff and other students.

3.4 The University of Stirling is fully committed to supporting students of all ages who have had experience of care.

Five Key Principles

3.5 Our work in this area has been guided by five key principles:

• Fostering and promoting a University culture which has development and support at its core, and which has high aspirations for all students, including those with care experience.
• Ensuring that students with care experience have the practical support in place to provide a stable and secure learning and living environment, and are aware of the support that is available to them throughout their time at the University.
• Creating partnership opportunities where the University can learn from students with care experience about their needs and the best ways to meet them.
• Supporting University staff to better understand the University’s role and responsibilities as a Corporate Parent and to enable them to contribute to the fulfilment of the University’s duties with genuine care and respect for students.
• Working in partnership with external agencies to ensure that students with care experience are well supported and can thrive.

3.6 We also follow the Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) principles of understanding the wellbeing of the student in their current situation, tackling needs early, joined up working and providing a named point of contact for applicants and students. Likewise, we understand that those with care experience have a diverse range of needs, skills and aspirations. As a good corporate parent, the University will ‘look beyond the label’ to ensure that our support and care for our students with care experience is flexible and responds to their individual needs. The Independent Care Review has rightly placed an emphasis on listening to and involving children and young people with care experience in decisions that affect them, in a meaningful way. The University is committed to building genuine and lasting relationships with students with care experience, placing trust and understanding at the heart of our role as a good corporate parent.

4.1 This Corporate Parenting Plan builds on the University’s actions and progress to date, to reinforce our support for students with care experience and to provide the basis for compliance with our requirements under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.

4.2 The Plan outlines the actions that the University will take over the next three years to achieve our strategic commitment to support students with care experience. The actions detailed in the plan build on our achievements to support a comprehensive system with the needs of the student at the centre. Our aim is to work with students with care experience, their supporters, advisers and external partners to help them find the best pathway to entry, and feel supported to manage the transition points into, throughout and out of University.

Current provision: Admissions and access

• The University offers a single point of contact for applicants in our recruitment team who can provide information, advice and guidance to anyone interested in applying. This includes help to choose a course, to find the right route, how to write a personal statement and how to apply.
• We encourage applicants to attend Open days and Applicant Day, offer advice on how to get the most out of the day and can introduce them to student ambassadors with care experience who can guide them on the day.
• We can arrange individual visits for people with care experience and their supporters to see the campus and find out about what we offer as well as talk to academic colleagues in the subject area of interest. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our Widening Access team has provided bespoke webinar sessions for students with care experience.
• We have joined other higher education institutions in Scotland in enhancing our support for students with care experience through offering applicants with care experience who meet minimum entry requirements a guaranteed offer to study with us.

Current provision: Transitioning to life at University

• The University has a named point of contact in Student Support Services to provide information and advice on support services available to students including money advice, accessibility and inclusion, counselling, wellbeing, mental health and spiritual support.
• We limit the need for repeated self–declaration by asking students once during the enrolment process. This links them directly with the Student Support Service point of contact from day one.
• We offer supported transition into university and university accommodation by providing pre-entry sessions and socials on university facilities and services, including early entry into halls of residence.
• We support students to access the guaranteed care experience bursary (£500 per academic year), a fast-tracked assessment to gain an award for £1500 from the university accommodation enhancement funds, and fast track to apply for discretionary funds as well as ensuring they are receiving all the financial support they are entitled to from their funding authority.
• Students with care experience are eligible to apply to the Rental Guarantor Scheme and can access interest free loans to cover deposits if required
• We know that digital poverty can be an obstacle for some students, particularly with the recent increase in online learning. Our students with care experience can benefit from our wider digital inclusion policies, which support access to equipment where needed.

Current provision: Going the extra mile

• The University provides targeted communications to students with care experience pre-entry, during transitions, during their studies and when preparing for exit, offering additional guidance, support and signposting.
• As part of our drive to become more inclusive, the University has abolished graduation fees. However, we acknowledge that the wider graduation experience can include additional costs which can be a barrier for some students with care experience. The University offers students with care experience a £150 grant towards gown hire and graduation photographs.
• We provide guaranteed 365 days accommodation for students with care experience who want to stay on campus during vacations. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a particularly challenging time for students who have remained in University accommodation, and the University continues to provide enhanced welfare support for students who reside in managed accommodation both on and off campus.
• We also provide annual birthday cards and Christmas/holiday cards for students with care experience, and we organise free December holiday celebrations for students staying on campus over the festive season.

Current provision: Outreach and collaboration

• We work closely with local and national partners including the Stirling Champions Board and Who Cares? Scotland as well as with other corporate parents to help people with care experience access higher education generally, and the University of Stirling in particular.
• We work closely with the Students’ Union to consult our students with care experience to ensure that they can access all aspects of student life, and that they feel a sense of connection and belonging to the University.

This plan sets out the actions we will take to build on our current provision and further enhance our support to our students with care experience. It is divided into three sections:

• Awareness raising: to build an understanding of the specific challenges faced by students with care experience.
• Support: detailing the mechanisms that will be put in place to support students with care experience throughout their learner journey.
• Partnership: recognising the valuable role that students with care experience play in ensuring that the University best responds to their circumstances.

Whilst the target group of the Corporate Parenting Strategy is students with experience of the care system, it is recognised that the University also has a number of students who are estranged from their families and have particular experiences and support needs, such as the need for access to year-round accommodation, which align closely with the needs of students with care experience. Many of the actions in this plan are applicable to estranged students and will improve their access to university and enhance their student experience. The Corporate Parenting Steering Group will therefore consider the needs of estranged students and will apply actions to the estranged student population where appropriate. The University will also consider the needs of estranged students in addition to those with care experience when carrying out equality impact assessments. 

Implementation and reporting 

This Plan will be overseen by the Corporate Parenting Steering Group, which will promote best practice and represent the voice of students with care experience. The group will meet on a quarterly basis and will monitor and review progress made against the actions identified. The Corporate Parenting Steering Group will report twice per year to the Student Experience Committee/Education and Student Experience Committee and annually to the University Strategy and Policy Group, JPPRC and University Court.