A Brand New Support Resource for Care Experienced and Estranged Students

Tina Bhartwas, as part of our Change Makers movement, came up with the idea of creating an accessible guide that estranged and/or care-experienced students could share with their loved ones (close friends, romantic partners, etc) to help explain to them what it is like being an estranged or care-experienced student. The idea is to take some of the load of students having to explain their background or experiences from scratch, and to give their loved ones the tools they need to offer better support.

“The idea for this guide came from a bad experience I had with a loved one around my 21st Birthday and feeling isolated during the Christmas period which followed. I asked around about a resource to help me help those close to me understand the trauma and difficult feelings I experience around special occasions and the holiday period and found that there wasn’t one. This sparked the beginning of this resource for loved ones who want to understand and support their care-experienced or estranged loved one better!”

Tina

Throughout its making, this is something students have asked for and fed into the creation of!

After much research, scoping and consultation, the ‘Guide for Our Loved Ones’ came to life in July 2023. We worked with the sector to check nothing like this already existed and we made sure to signpost out to current support too. Within the guide, we focus on key themes such as: Day to Day life; Holiday Periods & Term Breaks; Special Occasions & Important Life Events; Tips for Conversations about Estrangement or Care Experience and Attachment Styles.

The guide includes contributions and insights from students across the UK: with a range of backgrounds, experiences, and ages. The Unite Foundation supported its creation financially and through provision of creative and editorial resources, as part of the charity’s Change Makers movement. Although the guide centres around students, it is a helpful resource for the loved ones of any estranged or care experienced people.

We ask that you share this free resource with your students, so that they can use it in their daily lives and share with their loved ones

You can view the guide here https://bit.ly/guideforourlovedones

The last word: If you want to know more about how the free guide the EaCES network and Unite Foundation co-produced at the end of last year.