SOCIAL MARKET FOUNDATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The SMF is grateful to Unite Students for funding this research. The Social Market Foundation retains full editorial independence with respect to its research. The research team benefitted from the support of a Steering Group including staff and Trustees of the Unite Foundation; a registered charity focussed on Higher Education outcomes for care experienced and estranged students. We would like to thank the Steering Group for their introductions to the range of academics, policy experts, civil society professionals and students who took part in interviews for this project, as well as thanking those individuals for their valuable contribution. ABOUT THE AUTHORS Aveek Bhattacharya Dr Aveek Bhattacharya is the Research Director of SMF, having joined as Chief Economist in September 2020. Prior to that, he was Senior Policy Analyst at the Institute of Alcohol Studies, researching and advocating for policies to reduce alcohol related harm. He has also previously worked for OC&C Strategy Consultants, advising clients across a range of sectors including retail, consumer goods, software and services. Aveek studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at undergraduate level, and has Master’s degrees in Politics (from the University of Oxford) and Social Policy Research (from the London School of Economics). He holds a PhD in Social Policy from the London School of Economics, where his thesis compared secondary school choice in England and Scotland. Aveek is co-editor of the book Political Philosophy in a Pandemic: Routes to a More Just Future. Dani Payne Dani is a Senior Researcher at the SMF, specialising in tertiary education and skills. Prior to joining, Dani was Policy and Research Manager at Students’ Union UCL, leading a team researching policy issues in Higher Education. She also worked as a Researcher at Hertfordshire Students’ Union and Columbia University. Dani holds a BA in Human, Social and Political Sciences from the University of Cambridge. 4