HfS responds to Scottish Government consultation on support for part-time study and disabled students
The Hub for SUCCESS has responded to a Scottish Government consultation on Support for Part-time Study and Disabled Students.
Our response has been informed by research evidence, practice expertise, and the lived experiences of care-experienced learners. To shape this submission, we gathered insights through an anonymised survey of our board members, partner organisations, our core team, and our care-experienced student ambassadors. This ensured a balance of professional and lived perspectives, with each given equal weight.
The Hub’s submission highlights that support systems for part-time and distance learners are currently fragmented, inconsistent, and difficult to navigate. These barriers are particularly acute for care-experienced learners, who often balance study with work, health needs, or caring responsibilities. Our response calls for:
Simplification of funding and support systems, making them transparent, equitable, and easy to access
The introduction of pro-rata living cost support for part-time learners, ensuring equity with full-time peers.
A shift away from means-tested systems, replacing them with entitlement-based bursaries such as a pro-rata Care-Experienced Student Bursary.
Stronger non-financial supports, including consistent induction, flexible timetabling, and dedicated contacts for learners.
Simplified and trauma-informed systems of support for disabled students, reducing reliance on medical diagnoses and streamlining access to adjustments.
The consultation is part of the Scottish Government’s wider efforts to meet its commitments to widening access and keeping The Promise. Our response emphasises that education systems must be simplified, inclusive, and trauma-informed to ensure that care-experienced and disabled learners are able not only to access education, but to thrive within it
