Your education, training and work

Find information from Coram Voice to help determine if you are a care leaver if you are unsure.

It can be very complicated to know exactly what support you should be getting. We have tried to make things a bit easier for you, by creating these categories:

Group A - relevant care leaver

You are Group A if you:

• are 16 or 17 years old
• were in care on or after your 16th birthday
• were in care for at least 13 weeks since you were 14
• are no longer in care and this happened before you turned 18

Group B - former relevant care leaver

You are Group B if you:

• are over 18
• were in care on or after your 16th birthday
• were in care for at least 13 weeks since you were 14
• were in care when you turned 18
• are under 21

Group C -  qualifying care leavers

You are Group C if you:

• are aged between 16-25
• were looked-after by Children’s Services for a period of time between your 16th and 18th birthday
• were not looked-after by Children’s Services for at least 13 weeks, since the age of 14, or if you were, you were not looked-after) for at least 1 day after your 16th birthday

Your personal education plan and Pathway Plan

You're expected to stay in education, training or employment with training until you're 18 years old to gain qualifications. We'll ask you how you're doing and record this in your personal education plan (PEP) and Pathway Plan.

Your Personal Advisor or NEET re-engagement adviser will make sure you have full and up-to-date advice about:

• courses you can do
• apprenticeships and traineeships
• working and finding a job
• volunteering
• work experience
• what you can do if you have an education, health and care (EHC) plan

Our Where next? section may also help you with options if you're between 14 and 19 years old.

Education

16 to 19 bursary for college or sixth form

If you're aged between 16 and 18 in the September your course starts you can get a bursary of up to £1,200 from the setting where you'll be studying. This will help to cover costs involved in your course, including:

• transport to get you there
• equipment you need
• trips you have to go on
• uniform or suitable clothing

Course fees

It's unlikely that there will be course fees if you're at college or sixth form at the age of 16 or 17.

We may be able to help with fees if you're interested in other learning options like:

• a part-time course
• an online course
• other training courses

We can talk your plans through with you.

IT equipment (computer or laptop)

If you're in education or learning for more than 12 hours per week, we'll try and help you with IT equipment, up to the value of £300. This will be your device and you'll need to take care of the maintenance and repair of it.

Help with childcare when studying

If you are in education or training, you could get help towards your childcare costs. This will normally be through a bursary you apply for. If you cannot do this we'll look at your situation and what you may need to help with your learning.

Pathways to Employment Scheme with Dorset Council

We have a scheme that can offer you employment at Dorset Council through:

• an apprenticeship
• a traineeship
• work experience

Speak with your social worker or Personal Advisor about the opportunities and financial help we can give you to support you on the scheme.

Apprenticeships

You can apply for a £1,000 bursary when you've been on your apprenticeship for 4 months.

Your training provider will help you apply for this bursary. You can use this money to help you with your travel, clothing and equipment you might need for your course.  

If you're doing an apprenticeship and you're paid less than the national living wage we'll help you with a bursary of £200 per month. We'll also help with your travel costs of up to £100 per month for the first year of your training.

Traineeships

If you study through a traineeship, you may be able to get a bursary depending on your age which could help with the cost of getting there and work clothes. We will look at what else you may need to complete your course.   

Work experience and voluntary work

Speak with your social worker or Personal Advisor about any opportunities you have to take up work experience or volunteering. These are great ways to build your CV and experience. We will look at what you need to do this.

If you're doing work experience or voluntary work for more than 12 hours per week we can give you an incentive payment of up to £30 per week to help towards your additional costs such as: travel, lunches and suitable clothing.

Work clothes and equipment

You can use your monthly clothing allowance to buy clothes and equipment you might need for work.

Travel to work

You can use your personal allowance to help you with the costs of travelling to work. You may be able to get help with the cost of your first month’s travel to a new job while you wait for your first pay cheque. We will check with you what you need.    

Help with childcare while working 

If you're working and claiming Universal Credit you can apply to the Jobcentre Flexible Support Fund for help paying for childcare.

If you're working and cannot get help with childcare costs we'll look at your money with you and see if there's anything we can do to help.

Events

We run events throughout the year designed to encourage you to think about your future. They're great fun, there's free food and we can help you get there. 

Speak to your Personal Advisor for more information. Hope to see you there!

Your personal education plan (PEP) and Pathway Plan

We can look at the support you may need as you start the next stage of your education, training or work. You'll be able to access advice and guidance about your options at any age. We'll ask you how you're doing and record this in your personal education plan (PEP) and Pathway Plan.

Your Personal Advisers or NEET re-engagement adviser will make sure you have full and up-to-date advice about:

• courses you can do
• apprenticeships and traineeships
• working and finding a job
• volunteering
• work experience
• what you can do if you have an education, health and care (EHC) plan

Our Where next? section may also help you with options if you're between 14 and 19 years old.

Education

16 to 19 bursary for college or sixth form

If you're aged between 16 and 19 in the September your course starts you can get a bursary of up to £1,200 from the setting where you'll be studying. This will help to cover costs involved in your course, including:

• transport to get you to and from your college or sixth form
• equipment you need
• trips you have to go on
• uniform or suitable clothing

Support if you're a former relevant care leaver in education over the age of 19

If you're over the age of 19 you can apply for support in education from the institution's discretionary learner support fund. There's no set amount you can be entitled to but we will check that you have what you need.

If you're over the age of 19, studying for a level 3 course and have got an Advanced Learner Loan to help with your fees you might also be able to apply for a bursary.

Course fees

Level 2 courses

We may or may not be able to help with the fees for Level 2 courses but we'll talk this through with you.

Level 3 courses

For Level 3 courses with fees you should apply for an L3 Advanced Learner Loan. We can show you how to do this and will explain how you pay this back in the future when you're earning enough money to afford it.

If you go on to complete a course at university you do not have to pay back the Level 3 loan.

We may be able to help with the fees and will consider your plans if you're interested in other learning options like:

• a part-time course
• an online course
• other training courses

If you're claiming Universal Credit you may be able to get help through the Job Centre Flexible Support Fund. Find out more from Turn2Us charity's website.

University

We will give you a £2,000 bursary over the duration of your course. This will be £500 per year and we'll use your Pathway Plan to agree with you how to spend this over the academic year.

This bursary will be £3,000 if you're studying in London.

If you're studying through the Open University we'll work out an equivalent bursary for you based on the credits you're studying for.

Support during university holidays (vacation) for former relevant care leavers

We can help you with up to £100 per week for vacation costs when you cannot stay in your student accommodation. This is for a maximum of 12 weeks per year.

IT equipment

If you're in education or learning for more than 12 hours per week we'll try and help you with IT equipment (computer or laptop for example) up to the value of £300. This will be your device and you'll need to take care of any maintenance and repair for it.

Help with childcare while studying

If you are in education or training, you could get help towards your childcare costs. This will normally be through a bursary you apply for. If you cannot do this we'll look at your situation and what you need to help with your learning. 

If you're at university you can apply for a childcare grant as part of your student finance application.

Pathways to Employment Scheme with Dorset Council

We have a scheme that can offer you employment at Dorset Council through:

• an apprenticeship
• a traineeship
• work experience

Apprenticeships

You can apply for a £1,000 bursary when you've been on your apprenticeship for 4 months. Your training provider will help you apply for this. You can use this bursary to help you with the travel, clothing and equipment you might need for your course.

If you're doing an apprenticeship and you're paid less than the national living wage we'll help you with a bursary of £200 per month. We'll also help with your travel costs of up to £100 per month for the first year of your training.

Traineeships

If you study through a traineeship you may be able to get a bursary depending on your age. This bursary could help with the cost of getting to your traineeship and work clothes. We'll look at what else you may need to complete your course.

Work experience and voluntary work

Speak with your Personal Adviser about any opportunities you have to take up work experience or volunteering. These are great ways to build your CV and experience. We will look at what you need to do this.

If you're doing work experience or voluntary work for more than 12 hours per week we can give you an incentive payment of up to £30 per week to help towards your additional costs such as: travel, lunches and suitable clothing.

Work clothes and equipment

You can use your personal budget to buy clothes and equipment you might need for work.

Travel to work

You can use your personal budget to help you with the costs of travelling to work.

If you're claiming Universal Credit you can get help with travelling to interviews from the Jobcentre's Flexible Support Fund. This fund might also be able to help you with travelling for your first month while you wait for your first pay day.

Help with childcare while working

If you're claiming Universal Credit and working you can apply to the Jobcentre Flexible Support Fund for help paying for childcare. If you're working and cannot get help with childcare costs we'll look at your money with you and see if there's anything we can do to help.

Events

We run events throughout the year designed to encourage you to think about your future. They're great fun, there's free food and we can help you get there.

Speak to your Personal Adviser for more information. Hope to see you there!

You'll be able to access advice and guidance from the team about your options at any age. Including:

• courses you can do
• apprenticeships and traineeships
• working and finding a job
• volunteering
• work experience
• what you can do if you have an education, health and care (EHC) plan

Our Where next? section may also help you with options if you're between 14 and 19 years old.

Bursaries in college and sixth form

There's no guaranteed bursary for qualifying care leavers. But you can still apply to your learning provider to see if you can get help with things like:

• your transport to get you to college or sixth form
• equipment you need
• trips you need to go on
• uniform or suitable clothing

Support in education over the age of 19

You might be able to apply for a bursary if you:

• are over 19
• are studying a level 3 course
• have needed an ‘Advanced Learner Loan’ to help with the fees

You can apply for this bursary from the same place you got your Advanced Learner Loan.

Course fees

Level 2 courses

If you're aged 16 to 18 it's unlikely there will be course fees if you are at college or sixth form.

If you're over 18 some courses may be free and some may have fees. We may be able to help with Level 2 course fees but we'll talk your plans through with you.

Level 3 courses

For Level 3 courses with fees you will should apply for an L3 Advanced Learner Loan. We can show you how to do this and will explain how you pay this back in the future when you're earning enough money to afford it.

If you go on to complete a course at university you do not have to pay back the Level 3 loan.

We may be able to help with the fees and will consider your plans if you're interested in other learning options like:

• a part time course
• an online course
• other training courses

If you're claiming Universal Credit you may be able to get help through the Jobcentre Flexible Support Fund.

Find out more from Turn2Us charity's website.

University

We will give you a £2,000 bursary over the duration of your course. This will be £500 per year. We'll use your pathway plan to agree with you how you spend this over the academic year.

This bursary will be £3,000 if you're studying in London.

If you're studying through the Open University we'll work out the equivalent bursary for you based on the credits you're studying for.

Support during university holidays (vacation)

We can help you with up to £100 per week for vacation costs when you cannot stay in your student accommodation. This is for a maximum of 12 weeks per year.

IT equipment (computer or laptop)

If you're in education or learning for more than 12 hours per week we'll try and help you with IT equipment up to the value of £300. This will be your device and you'll need to take care of the maintenance and repair for it.

Help with childcare when studying

If you're at college you could get help towards your childcare costs. This will normally be through a bursary you apply for. If you cannot do this we'll look at your situation and what you need to help you take part in your learning.

If you're at university you can apply for a childcare grant as part of your student finance application.

Pathways to Employment Scheme with Dorset Council

We have a scheme that can offer you employment at Dorset Council through:

• an apprenticeship
• a traineeship
• work experience

Apprenticeships

Qualifying care leavers are not eligible for the £1,000 bursary for care leavers when they've been on an apprenticeship for more than 4 months.

If you're doing an apprenticeship and you're paid less than the national living wage we will help you with a bursary of £200 per month. We'll also help with your travel costs up to £100 per month for the first year of your training.

Traineeships

If you study through a traineeship you may be able to get a bursary depending on your age. This bursary could help with the cost of getting to your traineeship and work clothes. We'll look at what else you may need to complete your course.

Work experience and voluntary work

If you are participating in work experience or voluntary work for more than 12 hours per week we can give you an incentive payment of up to £30 per week to help towards your additional costs such as: travel, lunches and suitable clothing  

Work clothes and equipment

We will assess what you need for work. You can access a one off grant of up to £100. 

Travel to work

If you're claiming Universal Credit you can get help with travelling to interviews from the Jobcentre's Flexible Support Fund. This fund might also be able to help you with travelling for your first month while you wait for your first pay day.  If you cannot access this we'll check with you what you need. 

Help with childcare while working 

If you're claiming Universal Credit and working you can apply to the Jobcentre Flexible Support Fund for help paying for childcare. If you're working and cannot get help with childcare costs we'll look at your money with you and see if there's anything we can do to help.