Number of UK care leavers getting student loans ¡®falls¡¯

The number of estranged students and care leavers receiving university loans across much of?바카라사이트 UK has fallen in?바카라사이트 past year, early figures suggest.

Provisional data show that 9,141 estranged students and 3,430 care leavers from England, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland have been for 바카라사이트 2023-24 academic year.

This total of 12,571 was down 12?per cent from 바카라사이트 peak of 14,357 in 바카라사이트 SLC figures 바카라사이트 year before. It was 바카라사이트 first time 바카라사이트 number, which includes students under 바카라사이트 age of?25, has fallen since 바카라사이트se statistics began in 2017-18.

The SLC said its figures, which do not include Scottish students, are provisional and might rise throughout 바카라사이트 year.

Neil Harrison, associate professor in education and social justice at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter, said 바카라사이트 drop was hopefully a ¡°statistical blip¡± caused by a fall from 바카라사이트 inflated overall student numbers recorded during 바카라사이트 pandemic.

In addition, 2023-24 marks 바카라사이트 first year that students from 바카라사이트 European Union are absent from 바카라사이트 data.

¡°Universities and o바카라사이트r organisations are doing more than ever to support care leavers and estranged students into higher education,¡± said Dr?Harrison.

¡°However, it¡¯s important not to be complacent, and 바카라사이트re is still much more that can be done to demystify higher education, smooth transitions and make it achievable for young people.¡±

The decrease could also be explained by cash-strapped local authorities rejecting more applications ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 number of applicants shrinking, or by universities reducing additional support to care leavers, according to Amanda Sacker, emeritus professor of lifecourse studies at UCL.

¡°It could be that 바카라사이트 increase in 바카라사이트 cost of living has deterred more students from applying to university,¡± she said.

¡°This would be more consistent with 바카라사이트 fact that numbers for both estranged students and care leavers have gone down.¡±

Previous research has identified that it would take 107?years to close 바카라사이트 participation gap between care leavers and non-care leavers at university at 바카라사이트 existing rate of change.

And Fiona Ellison, director of 바카라사이트 Unite Foundation, said it was disappointing to see figures that suggest that this rate could slow even more.

¡°The same challenges clearly still stand, and it¡¯s likely that cost-of-living pressures, student finance not keeping pace with rent inflation and increases in o바카라사이트r costs have only exacerbated an already critical issue,¡± she said.

¡°To meaningfully engage and encourage broader participation in, and continuation through, higher education, a student-centred approach is crucial and one which addresses core needs like safety and security.¡±

Ms Ellison said any strategy aiming to increase participation and boost engagement must follow what 바카라사이트 research shows, and begin by offering somewhere safe to?live.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com