The National Network for the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL) awards its Quality Mark to universities that provide a variety of support: from helping students before they arrive to providing a strong student wellbeing service.

Bristol has dedicated staff to help students from both backgrounds. They provide additional support through the application process, offer 1-to-1 support and coaching from a named advisor while studying, and organise regular meetups with like-minded students.

Law student Abbey Manning left home at 17 and has been independent since. Highly driven and imbued with a lifelong sense of social justice, she has a 10-year plan to become a barrister.

Abbey said that she was “very pleased” that the University’s support teams had been “recognised for the hard work they do”. She added that the Quality Mark would be a “comfort for future applicants of what to expect from the care leavers and estranged student community” at Bristol.

Abbey said that being from an estranged background was “no big difference at first”.

“It wasn’t something I felt would hinder me,” she said. “I only began to notice the difference later on.

“I have to go through everything on my own, and when things go wrong, I have to pick up the pieces. I can’t do all the thing friends do, I need to make sure I can provide for myself.

“A lot of people take their family safety net for granted – I am my own safety net.”

Abbey received a scholarship and bursary for her time at Bristol. Alongside her studies she worked as a waitress, bartender, bank teller and National Grid employee.

Somehow, she also found time to take part in several societies, including volunteering as the Caribbean Society’s Wellbeing and Equality Officer, and she has recently been accepted on Bristol’s Commercial Law master’s.

Doug Jennings, the University’s Director of Student Journey, said: “We are really proud that NNECL has recognised the hard work of our teams with their Quality Mark.

“A person’s background should not be a barrier to education, and we hope that the Quality Mark will encourage more amazing students like Abbey to apply to study with us.”

Launched in June 2021, the NNECL Quality Mark asks universities and colleges to demonstrate that they provide support on seven areas: Continuous Improvement; Culture & Leadership; Pre-Arrival; Admissions Process; Student Wellbeing; Student Success; and Collaboration & Partnership.