Welcome

This website has been developed in collaboration with University of Sunderland, Newcastle University, Northumbria University and Aimhigher TWN. We all strive to recognise the additional needs and requirements that students Leaving Care might have. This site is to help you in supporting Looked After Young People through to Higher Education.

We have drawn together relevant information and provided you with clear links to useful sites across the partnership to help you guide Looked After Young People through a variety of areas including:

• The different routes young people can take into higher education, it doesn't all depend on getting A-C grades at GCSE
• The finance packages available for students at University and special bursaries available in the region for those coming from a Care background
• A guide to student accommodation and finding the right home to suit your young person
• There are lots of phrases that Universities and people in involved in Higher Education use day to day, but they are jargon to the rest of the world so we've added a glossary to the site to help you understand what everything means.

We're working to make a change as traditionally few Looked After Young People go on to Higher Education, the overview section gives you more background on our work. 

Each of the Universities in Tyne and Wear has dedicated staff in place to support Looked After Young People and Care Leavers. They can answer any questions you or your Young Person might have, or direct you straight to the right person. They not only help Looked After Young People considering University, but will also be there to give them advice, guidence and support when they enrol as a University student.  All the information you need to contact any of them is in our Next Steps section.

We hope that you find this website useful, if you have any feedback or think we've missed something please let us know.