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<p>As autonomous and independent organisations, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)
determine what support services they provide to their students. Each institution will
be best placed to identify the needs of their particular student body. The government
places a high priority on how the particular needs of care leavers are addressed by
HEIs. Many already provide all-year-round accommodation and bursaries for care leaver
students. The Department for Education’s Guidance to the Office for Students (OfS),
on completing 2019/20 access and participation plans, specifically identifies care
leavers as a key target group whose needs HEIs should address. This is reflected in
the OfS own guidance to the sector.</p><p> </p><p>The government recently launched
the Care Leaver Covenant, which provides a way for organisations from the public,
private and voluntary sectors – including universities – to set out and publicise
what support they provide to care leavers. A number of universities have already signed
the Covenant, including Leeds, Liverpool John Moores, Huddersfield and Bradford; and
we will continue to work closely with the OfS to encourage all universities to sign
it.</p>
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