Care leaver graduates praise support from University

The University of Huddersfield has celebrated the success of care leaver and care experienced graduates who have been supported during their studies.

A care leaver is someone who spent time in the care of a local authority when they were a child, with foster families, in residential homes or other arrangements outside of their own family.

Courtney Hall, Lequisha Watson and Leanne Roberts all experienced life with foster carers or in homes during childhood and turned to the support offered by the University’s Wellbeing Team.

The team’s help ranges from guidance on financial help available to educational support, as well as friendly faces to turn to when the step up to university life becomes overwhelming.

Courtney, who lived in care from the age of three, achieved a 2:1 BA Hons in Early Childhood Education and Care, and said help from Rebecca Hayes and the rest of the Wellbeing Team took away many of her worries.

“I didn’t have a laptop to begin with, but Rebecca went above and beyond to help me especially in my third year,” said Courtney, who wants to open her own nursery in the future. “She also made sure I could go to events for care students at the university, she even gave me a Christmas present and was very inclusive. She helped resolve a few issues on the teaching side and was really reassuring that help was there when I needed it.”

Lequisha, who graduated from Acting & Performance, and would like to use her degree to help with children’s learning, said that the Wellbeing Team pointed her in the right direction for support with her learning.

 

“At the start of my course I needed help on my essay writing, but they came up with a step-by-step plan for my learning which helped me become more confident.

“Rebecca is the nicest, calmest person I’ve met and all the support from the university has been so positive for me.”

Leanne has completed her BA in Youth and Community Work and praised the Wellbeing Team for how they helped her juggle the demands of being a mum with her studies.

“As I have dyslexia, the additional support they pointed me to from disability team really helped me as sometimes it gets a bit overwhelming.

“They made sure I got extra financial support, which was massive for me having kids. Rebecca helped me with everything I needed, and it was great having someone who could help you when things got a bit much. They were there to help calm me down when I got a bit flustered!”