Pathways into and through higher education for young people with experience of children’s social care

Report

Young people with experience of children’s social care are less likely to enter and progress through higher education, according to our new report published today: Pathways into and through higher education for young people with experience of children’s social care.

The study found that care leavers – and those who have ever been in care – are four times less likely to enter higher education by age 22, and are also more than twice as likely to drop out compared with their peers in the general population.

The research, undertaken by the Rees Centre, shows that the pathways to higher education for young people with experience of children’s social care tend to vary depending on type and period. 

In a call to action for the sector, TASO is recommending that higher education providers support the entry and progression of these students – for example through additional funding in the form of a student premium for care leavers.

Those with experience of children’s social care who progress to higher education are more likely to attend later in life, and to take a vocational route to get there. These findings point to a need for all higher education providers to accept students from vocational routes, and to set strategies for recruiting mature learners. This call is relevant to all providers, but especially high-tariff or more ‘prestigious’ universities, where care leavers are notably underrepresented.

Authors: Feinstein, L; Peck, S; Wigley, M; Duckworth, K; Selwyn, J

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Reviewed (other)
• Publisher: TASO
• Place of publication: London, UK
• Publication date: 2025-03-06
• Language: English