Supporting effective transitions to Higher Education �(Parents)

Dr Eleanor Parker

Student Welfare and Support Services

University of Oxford

Overview

What’s different? Common challenges in transitions and skills for success

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Support at university

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Key tasks for parents

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Key questions to ask

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Q and A/Reflections and Action Planning

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What we’ll cover today

Reflection

What do you already know about the differences between school and university?

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Starting points

Transition from school will mean changes to:�

Living

• Accommodation and living environment
• Cultural context and cross-cultural transitions
• Safety and security
• Cooking and cleaning
• Finances and budgeting
• Visas/immigration

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Learning

• Different learning environment and expectations of how success will be measured
• Time management and new types of schedule
• Digital and information skills

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Being, Becoming, Belonging

• Identity
• Friendships and relationships
• Extra-curriculars
• Values and purpose/career and personal goals

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What’s different?

Challenges for Student Transitions: Reflections from Oxford’s Student Welfare Team

• Less structured than school or home
• Real learning in higher education means getting things wrong and being confused
• Large pond/imposter syndromes
• Perfectionism and ‘all or nothing’ thinking
• Adolescence to adulthood

CIS 2023 Survey: Most important skills for university

Who supports your child to develop independent living and learning skills at university?

Other students (Peer Support or Buddying schemes, student ambassadors)

Lecturers/Faculty and Personal Tutor/Academic Adviser

Academic skills, Writing Centre or learning support services (check out what’s on offer for disabled students specifically)

Library services

Digital skills activities and resources (role of AI)

English language and foreign language centres

Students’ Union or Student Council

Student Services (think about wellbeing, disability, mental health, finances, visa,

international student support)

Careers and Employability Services

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Institutional example: Welfare Support at University of Oxford

Healthy Ways to Live and Learn: Reflections from Oxford’s Student Welfare Team

• Self-compassion
• Adaptability
• Confidence/self-efficacy
• Purposefulness
• Creating social support
• Coping with challenges and disappointments

Key Tasks for Parents

In preparing for the transition:

• Support the research and application journey and listen to your child
• Help them break down key tasks if they feel overwhelmed
• Provide practical support: learning to do washing/cook a meal, budgeting an activity, support their financial or visa paperwork
• Understand what support is available and what your child will be expected to do more independently
• Understand how you can engage as a parent (information sharing changes when the child is an adult, depending on legal system).

When problems arise:

• Contain (don’t amplify)
• Listen to understand
• Hold the base securely and celebrate their flying and

developing independence

10 questions for students to ask universities about transition

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1. How will you support my transition to university? What will I need to do for myself? What will you do? What will I do with others? Will this be online or in person?
2. How will I get to know other students in and outside of my course? How can I connect with current students during my university research and transition journey?
3. How will I get to know academics on my course? Will I have a named academic contact (e.g. Personal Tutor) and what can I go to them for?
4. How will I access the information and resources I need to support my learning, and how will I develop my skills for academic success and wellbeing?
5. What support is there for my wellbeing?
6. If I have (or think I might have) a disability, where do I go for support?
7. What support is there for careers and employability? (including work-based learning such as placements and internships)
8. What support is available to help me transition to new living arrangements, in my accommodation, or for visas?
9. What do I need to do before or at the start of course to access financial support? What is available once I have started? How can I develop my budgeting skills?
10. How will information I give you about my individual needs or personal situation be used, by whom and when?

Example resources: University of Oxford

www.ox.ac.uk/wellbeingatoxford

www.ox.ac.uk/students/welfare

https://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/guide-freshers

www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/skills

www.ox.ac.uk/students/new/oxford-transition-support

www.ox.ac.uk/students/welfare/parents

Wider resources

Some are framed around the UK context, but may be of broader value:

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Student Minds resources on transition

UCAS resources on individual needs

UCAS blog on sharing a mental health condition

UniBuddy (online chat with current students; links to different universities using UniBuddy provided by UCAS)

Advice for parents, guardians and carers | UCAS

When to step in, when to step back: A parent's guide to university support | UCAS

A parent's guide to navigating the mental health journey at... - Counselling Directory

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Reflections and Q and A

Any questions or reflections?

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What one thing will you do to support your child’s transition to Higher Education?

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