Who Cares?

Who Cares? About Going to University: A Guide for Managers, Practitioners and Carers Supporting Young People Aged 14-21 in and Leaving Care

Star Rating: 4/5

The Who Cares? Trust

ISBN: 1903239206, £8.50

Who Cares? About Going to University: A Guide for Young People in and Leaving Care Aged 14-21

Star Rating 4/5

The Who Cares? Trust

ISBN: 1903239214, £5.50

Any publications that keep the spotlight on looked-after young people and their potential progression to higher education are to be welcomed, writes Ken Campbell.

Both guides, covering the period from year eight to university, fulfil their aims of providing relevant information on the importance of the right school, choices while at school, applying for places at university, the support from local authorities – particularly finance and accommodation, and a useful list of abbreviations and websites.

The amount of information could be overwhelming, and time lines would have been useful to make visual sense of information covering several years and stages.

The guides are useful for committed, supportive adults and students aiming for university. But they will be most effective when used within local authorities with a corporate culture of raising aspirations and widening participation with programmes linking looked-after children with universities from an early age.

Ken Campbell is consultant, Education of Looked-After Children, Leeds.