Resources

A collection of practical, high‑quality resources designed to enhance knowledge, strengthen professional practice, and improve outcomes for children and young people

NNECL 'Moving on Up' report

The report explored higher education trends in care‑experienced students

Supporting Care Leavers in Further Education

This guide outlines who care experienced learners are, the challenges they face, their entitlements, and key considerations for staff supporting them

Challenging Stigma in the care system

This paper examines the stigma faced by children in care and care leavers, drawing on Bright Spots research and surveys showing many feel singled out, and highlighting local initiatives working to reduce this.

Being a student with care experience is very daunting

Findings from a survey of care experienced students in Scottish colleges and universities carried out by CELCIS on behalf of the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).

Positive Impact Report

What factors affect access, retention & graduate outcomes for university students with a background of care or family estrangement?

Pathways to University from Care

The report outlines the challenges care‑experienced students face in entering and progressing through university, and recommends how universities can better support them.

Supporting higher education participation for care-experienced people

A short slideshow by Dr Neil Harrison at the Rees Centre summarising seven key steps to increase the number of care‑experienced young people entering higher education in England

A Go Higher West Yorkshire Evidence Report

Go Higher West Yorkshire reports on the impact of its Care to Go Higher training programme, which supports key influencers to guide care‑experienced young people in their education choices

NNECL feasibility study for the Office for Students

The report highlights emerging consensus on more consistent support for care‑experienced students

Care Leaver Local Offer

This website, created by Terry Galloway, lets care‑experienced people compare local authorities’ support for care leavers and encourages councils to improve in key areas

The EaCES Handbook

This site was created by current Estranged and Care Experienced Students (EaCES) in the UK and Ireland, to summarise advice and information known to support students

Guidance to support the implementation of the updated HESA Care Experienced Data Flag

Working with the Office for Students, HESA has updated the data flag used to identify care‑experienced students, helping to provide a more accurate and comprehensive picture of this student group

Care-Experienced Graduates' Decision-Making, Choices and Destinations Project

Dr Zoe Baker has recently released an open access literature review as part of the Care-Experienced Graduates' Decision-Making, Choices and Destinations Project

Impact evaluation with small cohorts

TASO, in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University, has issued new guidance to help HE providers rigorously evaluate programmes and interventions delivered to small student cohorts.

Care leavers' transition into the labour market in England

Research published by the University of Oxford, in collaboration with the Universities of Exeter and York, highlights the challenges of transition into early adulthood for care experienced young people.

Care experience and the Equality of Opportunity Risk Register

NNECL has mapped effective practice for supporting care‑experienced students against the risk areas identified in the Office for Students’ Equality of Opportunity Risk Register

Amplifying the voice of care experienced young people in data research

In this blog, we hear directly from, Rhianna Brown, a care experienced intern at administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland

Teacher Support: Supporting care-experienced children

The following three teacher training videos explore what it means to educate and support care-experienced young people through a trauma-informed approach.

A praxis-based perspective on supporting CE students to thrive in higher education

Neil Harrison, Zoe Baker, Katie Ellis and Jacqueline Stevenson have co-created the following journal, designed to be helpful for those devising support systems for care experienced learners.

OFS EORR implementation summary

The Equality of Opportunity Risk Register (the EORR) identifies 12 sector-wide risks that may affect a student’s opportunity to access and succeed in higher education.

A care leavers survival guide from young people in Oxfordshire

People who lived in care homes as children have written a book to help others preparing to leave the care system.

Apprenticeship guides and information

Care‑experienced learners need clear information about how apprenticeships may affect their existing support, and below are guides to help you support them.

Guides for supporting students who are estranged from their families

The guides below have been gifted to us by Stand Alone following the closure of their charity.

UCAS: step-by-step guide to supporting care-experienced students

This guide supports those unfamiliar with the UCAS application by taking them through each stage and offering practical tips on how to help applicants throughout.

Care and Learning in Higher Education

Social Market Foundation has published this report on how society and universities can better support care‑experienced and estranged students to succeed

Evaluation of the NNECL Quality Mark 2025

This report assess the impact of the first cohort of university and college recipients of the NNECL Quality Mark

TASO - Pathways into and through higher education

This report presents new data on how young people in England with experience of children’s social care progress into higher education.

Media toolkit for journalists and care experienced people

This journalism toolkit offers guidance for media professionals and care experienced people working together.

The Verbatim Formula

The Verbatim Formula (TVF) offers care experienced young people (14-18 years old) an opportunity to visit a university, and gives them a taste of student life and learning.

Secondary Traumatic Stress in Foster Carers

This journal present findings that support the view that secondary traumatic stress is a substantial risk factor in foster caring.

Pathways to University from Care

The Findings Report One invited care experienced students to share their journeys through care & their transitions to university life.

Getting it right for care experienced students in higher education

This report examines how higher‑education experiences and institutional practices shape care‑experienced students’ study choices.

Supporting care-experienced & estranged students in higher education–responding to Covid-19

Throughout COVID‑19, Become, Stand Alone, NNECL, the Unite Foundation, and Spectra worked together to ensure all CEES students were considered.

Research highlights link between a childhood in care and early unnatural death

Research from Professor Amanda Sacker & colleagues at ICLS

Role Models Video: Supporting Care Experienced Students with Next Steps

In the video below, care‑leavers share their challenges, support, and early university experiences

Support for care leavers: House of Commons Library Report

This paper provides an overview of the UK Government’s policies to support
care leavers in key areas.

UniTaster Days- Carers' and Parents Guide 2022

UniTasterDays.com have created resources to help you as a carer, guardian, or support worker to support your young persons with their higher education decisions.

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The Good Childhood Report

The Children's Society has published its 2022 report on the happiness and well-being of children and young people in the UK

NNECL Cost of Living Survey

Summary of responses from January 2023