On behalf of Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Sheffield and the Care Leavers’ Association, we would like to invite you to take part in National Care Leavers’ Week 2015!
Further information about National Care Leavers’ Week and the information sessions at Sheffield Hallam can be found below. All sessions are open to staff and students so feel free to spread the word about this event.
o Wednesday 28th October 12.30 – 1.30pm Raising Aspirations of Local Looked After Children
o Thursday 29th October 3.30 – 4.30pm Life as a Looked After Child
o Friday 30th October 12.30 – 1.30pm Support for Care Leavers in Higher Education
Wednesday 28th October – Raising Aspirations of Local Looked After Children
Find out more about what Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield do to help raise the aspirations of looked after children and support care leavers’ applications to Higher Education.
Guest Speakers:
Michael Dosanjh, Outreach Activities Officer, University of Sheffield
Jenny Lawton-Hunt, Outreach and Widening Participation Co-ordinator, Sheffield Hallam University
Date: Wednesday 28th October
Time: 12.30 – 1.30pm
Venue: Heart of the Campus, Collegiate Campus HC.0.29
Thursday 29th October – Life as a Looked After Child
Explore the perspective of a child in foster care and some of the possible educational and developmental barriers and difficulties they may face. Guest speakers Carrie Wilson from the Care Leavers’ Association and Clare Humberston from the Children’s Involvement Team will give an insight into what it’s really like to grow up in care and go on to study at university.
Guest Speakers:
Carrie Wilson, Care Leavers’ Association
Clare Humberston – Children’s Involvement Manager, Children’s Involvement Team (Advocacy Service) Sheffield City Council
Date: Thursday 29th October
Time: 3.30-4.30pm
Venue: Presentation Suite, Owen Building level 12
Friday 30th October – Support for Care Leavers in Higher Education
Find out about what universities across the sector are doing to support care leavers. Find out about funding and pastoral support available at both of the Sheffield universities and how to refer students for support at Sheffield Hallam.
Guest Speakers
Kathryn Axon, Named Contact for Care Leavers, University of Sheffield
Ruby Robinson, Named Contact for Care Leavers, Sheffield Hallam University
Date: Friday 30th October
Time: 12.30 – 1.30pm
Venue: Room 1031, Owen Building level 10
What does ‘care leaver’ mean?
A care leaver is someone who has been in the care of a local authority during childhood. (To be eligible for financial support from Sheffield Hallam University, students must have spent three or more months in care while at school, from Year 10 onwards). There is further definition of what is on the Care Leavers’ Association website here. You can watch this short video about life in the care system here.
National Care Leavers’ Week 24th – 30th October 2015 – what is this all about?
National Care Leavers’ Week is about highlighting the needs of care leavers, and encouraging the agencies responsible for looking after them to work in a coordinated and effective way. (See the Care Leavers’ Foundation website for further info).
What will Sheffield Hallam do to promote National Care Leavers’ Week?
Information stands will be available 26th – 30th October in the atrium of the Owen Building and the main entrance to Heart of the Campus. There will be information about the experiences of young people leaving care, as well as resources to help you signpost students to support at Sheffield Hallam.
Student Support Services will also be hosting a range of talks the week commencing 25th October, to celebrate and raise awareness of the experiences of care leavers in higher education. The talks will be open to staff and students and will aim to:
- increase awareness of the experiences of looked after children and care leavers
- increase awareness of the support available for young people coming to university after being in the care system
- increase awareness of the outreach work that Sheffield Hallam undertakes to help young looked after children realise their ambitions and potential
Who can I contact if I would like further information about support for care leavers at Sheffield Hallam?
Please contact the Student Advice and Information Team on 0114 225 3813 or guidance@shu.ac.uk for more information. The named contacts for students who are care leavers are Helen Sharkey, Lauren Tosh and Ruby Robinson.
For further information about support for care leavers at Sheffield Hallam, download our Welcome Booklet below:
