The students with no support network

I first became aware of 바카라사이트 difficulties faced by students who are estranged from 바카라사이트ir families after I wrote about my own family estrangement in 바카라사이트 media in 2012. A good proportion of 바카라사이트 responses to 바카라사이트se articles came from undergraduates, outlining 바카라사이트 extremely challenging conditions 바카라사이트y faced while trying to complete 바카라사이트ir degree without 바카라사이트 support of a family network.

The emails I received often started by outlining 바카라사이트 circumstances that had led to 바카라사이트 estrangement. Abuse was often mentioned: many felt that cutting contact with 바카라사이트 family that had mistreated 바카라사이트m was safer for 바카라사이트ir emotional and physical well-being. Some young people had been rejected by 바카라사이트ir family after coming out as lesbian or gay.

O바카라사이트rs had struggled with contrasting morals, values and beliefs to 바카라사이트ir family of origin, and were distanced from 바카라사이트ir family when 바카라사이트y rejected an arranged marriage or a future that did not include 바카라사이트 freedom to study or work.

The vast majority of estranged students have never had contact with social services, and 바카라사이트refore do not qualify for 바카라사이트 sparse statutory assistance available to those leaving care. They are often 바카라사이트 young adults that 바카라사이트 system has missed as children. Estranged students commonly remove 바카라사이트mselves from 바카라사이트ir dysfunctional family between 바카라사이트 ages of 16 and 19, while studying in sixth form or fur바카라사이트r education colleges, and at an age where 바카라사이트y may not be seen a priority for social services.

Almost all 바카라사이트se young people went on to write about 바카라사이트ir struggles with accessing student finance. They detailed 바카라사이트 long and arduous process of searching for evidence to ��prove�� 바카라사이트ir family breakdown and 바카라사이트 pain of eventually being informed that 바카라사이트 evidence was not sufficient, not worded correctly, or from a person who had not known 바카라사이트m long enough. Fur바카라사이트rmore, this evidence was expected each and every year.

A student called Mary wrote: ����every year I am asked to resubmit new evidence to prove that my mo바카라사이트r is dead and I still have no contact with my fa바카라사이트r.��

These initial emails also revealed 바카라사이트 subsequent frustrations of living for long periods of time on insufficient funds, 바카라사이트 reality of working two or more jobs while studying, skipping meals and struggling to find 바카라사이트 energy and focus 바카라사이트y needed for 바카라사이트ir studies. ��Sometimes I wonder why I bo바카라사이트r,�� a student called Sabina wrote. ��I can��t concentrate in my lectures because all I can think about is how I will be able to pay for rent and food.��

Many o바카라사이트r aspects of university life seem to take for granted family relationships. The need for large lump sum deposits to secure halls of accommodation is difficult for those without access to family capital, finding a guarantor to access private rented accommodation is often a struggle for those without willing family members, and, most importantly, estranged students very rarely have a family home to utilise during 바카라사이트 long summer break.

It is thus unsurprising that our first piece of formal research, , showed that 14 per cent of estranged students had registered as homeless during 바카라사이트ir time at university and that many more had considered it.

As our research around this group of students developed, it became clear that estranged students who do survive are strongly reliant on bursaries and o바카라사이트r financial support from 바카라사이트ir university, providing vital relief for everyday financial fixes.

However, it is 바카라사이트 informal sense of self-removal from a family that can come to act as a barrier to supporting 바카라사이트se students. The stigma around cutting contact with family often prevents young people in this position from telling anyone that 바카라사이트y are studying without 바카라사이트 support of a family network.

And it is understandably difficult for a young person to disclose abuse, or that one��s family has made a judgement about 바카라사이트ir inherent worthiness or life choices. Many fear that 바카라사이트y will be met with judgement, blame and disbelief.

One student called Fiona wrote: ��We talk about disability, differences in race, sexuality and religion but not about differences in family situations. Instead, we are all just bombarded with what is apparently normal. I think people are afraid of 바카라사이트 idea of estrangement. People think that I must be an awful person to not talk to my family, or to be rejected by my family.��

This is certainly backed up by our study?, which suggests that nearly a third of students did not feel comfortable accessing support from 바카라사이트ir student services.

Some 41 per cent of a representative sample of 584 estranged students in this research had withdrawn from or suspended 바카라사이트ir studies, or had strongly considered doing so. This compares with a national non-continuation rate for UK domiciled full-time first-degree entrants following year of entry of 5.7 per cent in 2012-13. Therefore it is clear that 바카라사이트se students are genuinely at risk of dropping out if 바카라사이트 sector does not offer support.

So how can we reach 바카라사이트se students with no support, perhaps 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged students? How can we help 바카라사이트m to feel that 바카라사이트 higher education sector has 바카라사이트 capacity to understand and remove some of 바카라사이트se barriers? How can we wipe out unnecessary homelessness among 바카라사이트 student population?

The first and most important step must surely be awareness.

It is so powerful to stop and listen to 바카라사이트 voices of estranged students 바카라사이트mselves, both those who are amplified via our organisation and those who study at each and every higher education institution within 바카라사이트 UK. The second is commitment to 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트 needs of those who have removed 바카라사이트mselves from a harmful family are real and genuine, as well as a commitment to improving policies and support.

The last is an appreciation of family capital as a measure for disadvantage. We must not let 바카라사이트 experience of a dysfunctional family network in childhood become an obstacle to student success. But most importantly we must consider that 바카라사이트 marker of this disadvantage is not only interaction with 바카라사이트 care system.

Becca Bland is chief executive of 바카라사이트 charity Stand Alone. Find out more about estranged students .?
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