A qualitative systematic review exploring care experienced students experiences of Higher Education Institutions in the United Kingdom

Research suggests students with care experienced backgrounds reflect a largely underrepresented group within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the United Kingdom (UK). Theoretical frameworks such as the social-ecological model (SEM) may provide a useful framework of barriers and facilitators of care experienced experiences in HEIs. A systematic review was conducted for research conducted from January 1990 to September 2024, to explore studies utilising qualitative methods to explore barriers and facilitators of educational outcomes among care experienced students in UK HEIs. Articles were included if the researchers integrated: original empirical research; applied qualitative methods; depicted information on participants and methodology; centred primarily on HEIs experiences and were published in English language peer reviewed journals. Quality and inter-rater agreements were used to review relevant studies. Ten studies were reviewed. These studies provided evidence of care experienced students experiences within HEIs, with emphasis on facilitators and barriers impacting educational outcomes. Utilising the SEM as a framework, these reviewed studies provide some evidence of barriers and facilitators which could be targeted to enhance educational experiences of HEIs among care experienced populations.