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Disability Policy and Statement
We
are pleased that you are thinking about using
our services and we hope that this guide will
provide some initial answers to your questions.
We
welcome applications from individuals with
disabilities and try to meet particular
requirements, as far as possible.
Over the years, many people with
disabilities have successfully used our services
and the numbers continue to grow.
Your success will depend on a partnership
between yourself, relevant members of staff and
any other support agencies.
We
are developing an inclusive approach to
learning, training, personal/career development
and employability enhancement so that all users,
including those with a disability, can achieve
the same levels of competence as other users.
The
purpose of this guide is to:
·
Help
you in the process of using our services.
·
Give
an outline of the support services available to
you.
First
steps in the process
Your
first point of contact will usually be one of
our Admissions/ Screening Assessors in the
department in which you are hoping to join us. Telephone contacts for each area of our service are given in
the User’s Handbook and you are encouraged to
contact us for advice even if you are only
considering applying.
Even
before application, you may find it helpful to
talk to a member of the Admission/Screening
Team. They are responsible for giving
information and advice to applicants with
disabilities.
Team members will advise you on support
available, from pre-application to completion of
the service you wish to use; this may involve:
·
meeting
you at our offices
·
discussing
your needs over the telephone
·
liaising
with other support staff, such as your carer,
social worker or mentor
·
visiting
you at your convenience
The
team will assist you in making applications for
funding for additional support through the
Disabled Students’ Allowance and will liaise
with other agencies in arranging support.
How
do I start applying for your services, support,
training?
Choosing
the right way forward for your personal and
professional development is the most important
part of ensuring success at achieving the levels
of competence you may need.
You should discuss your particular
requirements with our staff, as early as
possible (preferably before completing the
application form) so that you can consider:
·
whether
our services
are suited to you
·
where
the training is based, including the nature and
layout of that particular venue
·
the
availability of facilities on that venue
Whom
should I approach?
For
each section of our service, there is a named
point of contact in the Users’ Handbook.
If you wish to find out more about the
area of service you are interested in, you
should contact the Admissions/Screening Assessor
who can talk to you in more detail about the
service and arrange for you to visit our
facility.
We
organise regular open/visit days throughout the
year; these provide a good opportunity for you
to visit us and find out more about the service
area you are interested in and explore some of
the facilities of the venue where the service is
based.
For
many of our users, participating in a visit day
may be sufficient; for others, an individually
arranged visit may be more appropriate, to give
you the opportunity to explore your particular
needs, look at the availability of
support/amenities and think about all the
implications for you.
If
you are unsure, please do not hesitate to
contact any member of our team to discuss the
most suitable approach for you.
What
happens next?
If
you decide to apply for one or more of our
service modules, please make sure that we are
aware of your particular requirements from the
outset. Please indicate on the application form
what type of disability you have (including any
unseen disability).
When the department receives your
application, they should inform the relevant
team, who will ask you to contact them directly
to discuss your support needs.
This process of application will be
treated in exactly the same way as applications
from other prospective users. The team will then
help you through the process of organising
support.
It
is important to start these processes as early
as possible, so that arrangements are in place
from the start. Please do not be shy about
letting us know about your disability or medical
condition; all information will be treated in
confidence.
What
support is available?
A
package of support will normally be arranged to
suit each individual applicant.
For some, there may be a complex set of
arrangements involving different agencies; for
most, the emphasis will be on ensuring that your
development needs are met.
The
team will work closely with you to organise:
·
a
full assessment of your support needs
·
liaison
with relevant funding agencies to secure support
·
support
for your training needs, for example, through
the employment of a non-medical helper, a
volunteer mentor, attendance at training or
support groups, access to specialist equipment
such as a computer and appropriate software.
Arranging
a support package can take some time, which is
why an early start is advisable.
What
will my support package involve?
The
first concern for most people is financial
support. You may be eligible to claim through the Disabled Students’
Allowance (DSA) and the team will advise you on
your eligibility and support you in making an
application.
You may also be eligible for some of the
other funding packages that the government is
making available.
Alternatively you may be able to apply
for funding from charitable sources and the team
will advise you on who and where to contact
about these.
If
you need personal assistance in areas not
directly related to your course, you should
contact your local Social Services team.
They will assess your particular needs
and contact relevant agencies to arrange
personal support.
Sometimes the arrangements for personal
and study support may overlap and the team will
encourage agencies to work together in
organising this; please contact them if you need
further advice.
The
most important questions for you as a user of
our services will be concerned with your
development needs.
We have tried to address some of these.
How
can I meet all the competence
levels/requirements?
Modifications
in training and learning processes can be
arranged for users with a disability.
These
will reflect:-
·
the
individual user’s needs
·
the
nature of the particular course, including
training methods, assessment requirements and
any practical components.
Once
a user is enrolled on a course of development,
he or she will be allocated a personal
Continuous Plan for Development Assessor.
The Assessor will have an important role
in ensuring that arrangements are in place for
you.
The
type of arrangements or additional support which
may be available includes:-
·
mentor
attendance at sessions
·
additional
tuition for effective study
·
provision
of training hand-outs in alternative formats
·
alternative
arrangements for assessment.
All
such arrangements are subject to:
·
a
three way discussion between you the user, your
Assessor and the Support team
·
ensuring
that all criteria and competence levels are met.
What arrangements can be made for examinations
and assessments?
Each
module of service has very specific assessment
requirements, set out in the candidates’
handbook. In
determining your support needs, there will be a
review of these requirements. Any alternative arrangements will be negotiated with the
relevant Assessor and Internal Verifier and may
be subject to approval by the Awarding Body,
where appropriate.
Again, it is important that these
arrangements are confirmed well in advance of
the any assessment.
What
specialised resources and facilities will be
available for me?
As
much as possible we have taken every care to
ensure equal access to all. Our main offices
have wheel-chair access and we make every
attempt to only hire external venues with the
same resource, but that is not always possible.
·
We
will have in place a video subtitling service
for those with a hearing impairment if and when
we are given enough notice to contract one of
our partnering organisations to meet this need.
·
facilities
for the production of tactile diagrams for blind
and visually impaired students, again enough
notice must be given for us to contract external
agencies to carry out the work necessary.
In
some buildings, access to all floors is not
possible but arrangements can be made to
accommodate groups on the ground floor or in
accessible rooms, provided this is planned in
advance.
How
are we improving our provision?
We
are gaining experience in supporting users with
disabilities and numbers have risen steadily,
but we know we must never stop improving. We are committed to widening participation as far as possible
and are exploring ways in which we can enhance
the learning support available to users, by
utilising all media, including web-based
learning.
There
are many examples of our commitment and good
practice, for example:
·
Our
Quality Control Manager co-ordinates support of
users with disabilities
·
disability
awareness is included in the induction of all
new staff, and in the formal training for new
tutors/trainers
·
dyslexia
awareness training has been organised across the
organisation
·
we
are developing guidelines for staff working with
users with mental health or learning
difficulties
·
assistive
software has been installed on our network
·
we
liaise with all complementing agencies and
invite them to keep us informed and updated of
any and all resources they can make available in
order to maximise their use for our users.
What
happens if my needs change?
Your
support needs may change as you progress and the
team will help to arrange for a review of
arrangements.
It is important that your Assessor and/or
Tutor is kept informed of any changes.
We
will monitor the provision made for users with
disabilities and Assessors/Tutors will work with
your support team to ensure that you make the
most of your opportunities.
Finally,
we hope that this information will be helpful to
you and that it will provide a starting point
for a successful start in your personal and
professional development activities with us.
Disclaimer
The
information supplied here is accurate at the
time of printing. We will make every reasonable effort to provide the services
set out and to help you to make the best use of
them, although we cannot guarantee to do so at
all times.
We
hold personal data on all applicants and
registered users. All such data is kept in accordance with the Data Protection
Act 1998.
Appendices
·
Relevant
publications
·
Explanatory
note for staff
Relevant
Publications
The
Department for Education and Employment
publishes an annual booklet:
Bridging
the Gap: A Guide to the Disabled Students
Allowances (DSAs) in Higher Education”
This
is available from your Local Education Authority
or directly from the DfEE by calling the
information line on 0800 731 9133 or on their
website
http://www.dfee.gov.uk
Skill,
the National Bureau for Students with
Disabilities publishes a number of useful
booklets and leaflets.
For
more details contact Skill’s Information
Service on 0800 328 5050 (voice), 0800 068 2422
(text),
info@skill.org.uk
(e-mail).
Details
are also available on Skill’s website: http://www.skill.org.uk
Note for Staff:
Support for users with Disabilities
The
first step in dealing with users with
disabilities is the obvious one: treat them,
simply, as users. They are motivated to develop
for the same reasons as others and they bring
with them the same range of intelligence and
skills.
Revising
our perceptions and attitudes is the first step
in meeting the needs of users who present
themselves, learn or perform in ways that are
different from others. It is vital to remember
that their similarities with others are much
more significant: we are dealing, first and
foremost, with users, candidates, students,
people coming to us to achieve higher levels of
competence.
Their support needs usually fall into two categories:
personal and technical.
Personal support is generally provided by specialist,
designated staff such as personal carers, note
takers, readers or dyslexia study skills tutors.
This also incorporates the changes staff make to
the way they deliver their sessions to cater for
the individual needs of their group.
Technical support can be made available by providing
specialist equipment and resources. This can
range from improving access to buildings and
learning situations to specialist software or
equipment. This may be funded from a variety of
sources. Physical adaptations could require
investment over a period of time and long term
planning to implement effectively.
Users
will need to know who to contact to find out how
their specific needs can be met and what
services are available. Users should be advised
to ensure that their Assessor or personal tutor
is aware of their additional needs.
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