Estranged students in Further (FE) and Higher Education (HE) - experiences: literature review

1. Introduction

In March 2022, the Scottish Government commissioned ScotCen Social Research (ScotCen) to undertake research on the experiences of estranged students in Scotland. The aim was to provide an insight into the contexts and experiences of estranged students in further and higher education (FE and HE). This literature review accompanies the research report into the experiences of estranged students in further and higher education in Scotland.

To understand more about the experiences of, and available evidence on, estranged students in further and higher education in Scotland, a rapid review of literature published in this area was conducted. The purpose of this review was to inform the development of the qualitative research with estranged students, college and university named contacts and stakeholders. It seeks to draw out the key themes of the literature, and identify any gaps. However, this was a rapid review and should not therefore be considered exhaustive.