Care-experienced school children graduate in special ceremony

Thirty-eight school-aged children in care graduated from specialist programmes at Queen’s University.

The Reading Together, Numeracy Together and Steps to Success programmes brought together trained student mentors with children in care aged 8-12 years old, to help them improve their literacy, numeracy and emotional literacy skills.

As well as the educational impact, the schemes give children the chance to connect with a university student who serves as a positive role model for higher education, broadening their awareness of future opportunities.

By offering support and encouraging participation in activities that promote literacy, numeracy and emotional skills, these initiatives can open up a whole new world for the children.

Patricia Hampson, Widening Participation Unit Manager at Queen’s, said that children in care face additional challenges when it comes to education, compared to their peers and hoped that the programmes would lead to greater representation in higher education.

“By reaching out to children in care at a young age, and pairing them with a trained university student mentor who acts as a positive role model for higher education, it not only improves the children’s educational outcomes and confidence, it also exposes them to wider possibilities of what their future can look like. Our student mentors get so much out of the schemes too, it allows them to make a difference to the lives of young people, and they also learn so much from their mentees.”

46 care-experienced children were involved across the three schemes, referred from local Health and Social Care Trusts and Foster Care Associates.

The Reading Together and Numeracy Together schemes have been running since 2021, and the Steps to Success scheme since 2024.

Qi Sen, a third year student, studying Medicine at Queen’s, is a trained student mentor on the Step Up programme. He said taking part in the Step Up programme had been really rewarding.

“Initially, I joined the programme with the goal of helping a young person with their maths and literacy skills. However, the experience has grown into something much more meaningful.

“It took some time but by building trust, and showing patience, it helped them feel like they’re in a safe and supportive learning environment-one where they feel comfortable to ask questions without judgement from their school peers. I genuinely believe that I have made a real difference to a young person’s life, and in the process learnt so much more about myself.”