This week, the Russell Group published Building Opportunity for All, setting out new commitments to support care experienced and estranged students in higher education. At NNECL, we welcome any initiative seeking to remove barriers and improve outcomes for our underserved learners.
However, we and many of our members were disappointed that the Group did not engage with NNECL ahead of this announcement. The absence of consultation with the UK’s leading collaborative network in this space risks overlooking the significant progress already being made, much of it in collaboration with Russell Group institutions themselves. Of the 24 Russell Group universities, 20 are NNECL members, and 10 have either achieved or are actively working towards our nationally recognised Quality Mark.
What Is the NNECL Quality Mark?
Launched in 2022, the NNECL Quality Mark is widely regarded as the “gold standard” for care experienced student support. Colleges and universities must provide evidence of strong, practical provision for our learners, such as financial bursaries, designated contacts, year-round accommodation, career guidance and mental health support.
Our framework has been recognised in national and regional policy recommendations, including the 2022 Independent Review of Children’s Social Care and the Social Market Foundation’s 2024 Care and Learning in Higher Education report.
Greater Manchester requires all the colleges and universities in its region to be accredited by NNECL by 2027, and the London Assembly has called on the London Mayor to follow suit. An independent evaluation published in 2025 confirmed that the Quality Mark drives meaningful institutional improvement and delivers tangible impact for learners.
As the sector’s hub for improving outcomes for care experienced and estranged students, we believe our involvement is essential to ensuring large-scale initiatives are inclusive, evidence-based, and effective. We remain committed to working in partnership with all institutions and sector bodies such as the Russell Group, which share our ambitions for care leavers and estranged young people in post-16 education, and we look forward to a more collaborative future.
