Education, Training and Employment
For full information on Hounslow’s financial support package for care leavers, including costs related to your education, please ask your worker for the ‘Care Leaver’s Financial Support Policy’.
Virtual College
The Virtual College young leavers programme is here to help you with everything to do with your education, employment and training. The team will support you to stay in education including help with any training or apprenticeship programmes that might be available in your local area.
Contact Virtual College
If you need information or have any worries about your education and training, please contact the Virtual College:
Email, call 020 8583 2745/3559/2787 or ask your PA to put you in touch.
Further Education Bursaries
Care leavers attending college will get the college’s 16-19 Vulnerable Bursary entitlement, which will cover your essential study expenses such as travel and course equipment.
Higher Education
Hounslow is committed to supporting care leavers and young people to achieve their full potential. We offer plenty of practical assistance for care leavers who want to go to university for up to four years:
- A Higher Education Bursary is made up of weekly subsistence, payment of rent in vacations and an annual payment towards your course equipment such as laptop, books etc.
- Support to visit universities before you choose which universities to apply to.
- Help with the initial costs of moving to and from university.
- Financial support outside of term time with your utility costs (eg energy bills, broadband etc if you do not live in university halls)
Please contact the Virtual College for advice if you are thinking about applying for university.
Financial Support for Highter Education
More information about higher education, funding and opportunities can be found at:
- Propel
- To find out more about care leaver support available from universities and colleges in the UK, you can access a named university adviser for each university and details of the available bursaries. Certain universities offer more to care leavers than others so it is worth finding out what their specific support is. If you wish to you can identify yourself as a care leaver on your UCAS application form.
- The Complete University Guide
- Gov.uk
- Prospects
Disabled Student Allowances
Disabled students can claim additional allowances to pay for things like equipment or a helper. This money does not need to be paid back.
More information can be found on the government website.
Apprenticeships
Speak to your PA about financial help when doing an apprenticeship or traineeship.
Further information can be found on the government website.
Learning to Drive
We will help you with the cost of learning to drive from the age of 17.
- To get the funding we will look at your ability to learn how to drive safely, such as being able to pass your theory and practical test.
- You will also have to show you are in education, training, or employment. If in education, you need to have an attendance of at least 85% and driving lessons can be withdrawn if attendance falls below 85%.
If funding is agreed, it will cover the cost of;
- A provisional driving licence
- Up to 10 hours of driving lessons (additional lessons could be funded, if e.g., a licence is needed for your job)
- The theory test and one retake
- The driving test and one retake
- A full licence once you have passed the test
You will not be able to apply for funding when learning to drive or continue lessons if you;
- Have any driving related convictions, charges or charges pending in the last 18 months
- Have any convictions, charges or charges pending related to violence or drugs or alcohol in the last 6 months
- Behave in a way the driving instructor considers unacceptable.
Important Documents
Speak to your personal advisor if you need to apply for any of the following:
