We are a Partnership with care experienced people at our heart

We are hosted by Edinburgh Napier Development Trust ( Registered Charity Number: SC030225)

Who We Are

We work together with care experience people supporting and inspiring them to get in, stay in and return to college and university.

Nothing is too big or small, we are here to support you with anything preventing you from progressing in your studies; whether that’s housing, finance, accessing support services, or something else.

We are a unique collaboration between the City of Edinburgh Council and the universities and colleges in Edinburgh and the Lothians. Partner organisations include: Edinburgh College, Edinburgh Napier University, Heriot Watt University, Newbattle Abbey College, Open University in Scotland, Queen Margaret University, University of Edinburgh and West Lothian College.

If you, or someone you know needs support, please contact us.

The Hub for SUCCESS core staff team is hosted by Edinburgh Napier University, and therefore operate within their employment policies. In addition to this, we have our own practices which you can find below.

Policies and Processes

Why This Matters

In Scotland, we are committed to ensuring that all of our children and young people have a good educational experience. We know that attaining a good level of education can lead to good outcomes such as good health, good employment opportunities and more. We know it is even more important for our care experienced learners to get good quality support in school, college and university in order to help them succeed. Our care experienced learners may have faced choppy waters during their education, that is why it is even more important that our care experienced children and young people get the support they need for education when they need it.

The Independent Care Review was “an independent, root and branch review of the care system” announced in the Scottish Parliament by Nicola Sturgeon in 2016.

The Care Review heard from more than 5,500 people. These were children, adults, and families who have personal experience of care, as well as the unpaid and paid workforce.

On 5 February 2020, the Care Review published The Promise. This document sets out the changes needed to make sure all children grow up feeling safe, loved, and heard. The Hub for SUCCESS partnership is comitted to keeping the Promise.

Some examples of our recent work includes:

Presentations on education and The Promise to social work teams and third sector organisations.
Training on support for care experienced students at university/college – delivered to finance, wellbeing and student support teams.
Consultation with Widening Participation teams about how to ensure care experienced pupils are included in targeting and messaging of outreach activities.
Fostering collaboration within local third sector organisations by taking part in the Edinburgh Keeps the Promise group hosted by EVOC.
Training delivered to SAAS staff in partnership with Who Cares? Scotland
Working with our partners to review their approaches to discretionary funding and how this is accessed.
Working with our student ambassadors and partners, delivered a schools programme to Primary 7 classes to 8 Edinburgh Schools

The Promise – What it means for you

Our student communities are stronger if each and every student has what they need.

Schools, colleges and universities must recognise the role they play as adjacent parts of the wider scaffolding of care so they can support and nurture those with care experience. (The Promise, p.46). We help our partners see themselves as the scaffolding of care so that through working together we can keep The Promise.

Universities and colleges in Scotland must also act on their responsibilities towards care experienced students, ensuring they are provided with access to mentoring and support throughout their studies. (p.93).

We are currently exploring what mentoring opportunities are available across our partnership, what we can learn from each other and how we can help to Keep the Promise together.

Please get in touch with Lorraine Moore if you want to learn more about what you can do in your school, university or college to Keep the Promise.

We have now seen the Launch of The Promise Scotland’s Plan 24-30. To find out more click here:

The Promise

Pan 24-30