Foster carers looking after a teenager – along with all parents in the same situation – will have been counting down the days and hours to the big day. The start of university life. It is of course a time of great excitement and change. Our earlier blog series gives tips and advice about preparing in the weeks before leaving for university. This begins at – https://rainbowfostering.co.uk/foster-care-and-supporting-college-life-1/
The actual day of departing is a significant step toward independence and adult life. It is important in all the hub bub to remember that Young people will need to prepare for the emotional upheaval that leaving home can bring about. Leaving home for the first time is a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Something that’s quite natural. There are important practical considerations – as well as opportunities for young people that foster carers should be aware of. Knowing what financial support may be available is important. Bursaries are offered by universities for care leavers. It’s important to contact a university’s care leaver team to establish what support is available. It also important foster carers check this team is put in touch with a young person’s leaving care worker back at home.
As well as the universities, a number of charitable organisations offer scholarships, grants, and bursaries for care experienced. This includes The Care Leavers Foundation, Unite Foundation, and Buttle UK.
Managing expectations.
Foster carers should always manage a young person’s expectations about university life. Youngsters can have expectations that may not always be grounded in reality. These might not just be about university itself, but be about themselves as well. This can result in disappointment and might even affect levels of self-esteem. Social media can present university life in an unrealistic, often exaggerated way. The impression can all too easily be given that being at university is great all the time. Foster carers should discuss this before young people leave, so they are prepared to expect they may not make friends immediately. And that taking responsibility for their own study might at times feel daunting. Life at university is the same as life anywhere. It can throw up problems and uncertainties. This means being able to offer reassurance is one of the most important jobs for a foster carer once their young person has left home for university. It can take time to settle in and adjust to independent living.
Foster awareness of all the support available.
Inform your young person that once at college there will be plenty of support available. Some will be specifically for care experienced youngsters. They can connect with students from similar backgrounds via the Estranged and Care Experienced Students (EaCES) organisation. This provides peer support from students who are care experienced – or others who may have become estranged or are at risk of becoming estranged.
Finally, foster carers should encourage young people once at college of university, to investigate the many clubs and societies that will be being run. All universities will have a students’ union officer part of whose job will be to sign post students toward such activities. It’s important to embrace what is on offer as joining a club or society is an excellent way of discovering new interests and hobbies – as well as making new friends.
And finally, foster carers should remind young people leaving for university that they will be entitled to a wide range of student discounts. These can be increased by having an NUS card.
More information is available at – https://sites.google.com/view/eaces-handbook/home?
Foster carers blossom with Rainbow.
Can you imagine a bigger step than fostering a child or young person? Making the decision requires careful consideration as well as support. Rainbow are experienced in offering the very best advice about fostering a child uk, and the benefits it can bring to you and your family.
The kind of people who suit fostering are tolerant, compassionate and have kind hearts. They instinctively understand vulnerable children and young people need welcoming, nurturing homes. They become Foster carers who are always willing to support the children in their care; always happy to be their advocates and help them to thrive educationally and through fully participating in school life.
Rainbow is one of the leading independent fostering agencies in the UK. We now have nearly twenty-five years experience of fostering. This means you can be entirely confident of receiving the best training and career development opportunities. And Rainbow can offer a thriving fostering network to be part of where you’ll benefit from a tremendous sense of community and support.
Rainbow has been rated ‘Outstanding in all areas’ by Ofsted. We work closely with local authorities arranging foster care placements in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Hampshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes.
Visiting our websites FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) page has the answers to questions we are routinely asked about fostering. Call us if you need any further clarification. We hope it proves to be a helpful resource. Find it at – https://rainbowfostering.co.uk/frequent-asked-questions/ We strive to reflect the rich and varied world of fostering in the numerous topics explored in our website’s blog section – intended to be a real knowledge bank for anyone involved on fostering or with an interest in it – make sure you check it out. Discover more about what fostering offers by calling 0330 311 2845.
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