Hi Peter,
I couldn't agree more. There seems to be a drive from DfES to force LEA's to tighten up and many are now sending forms for the students to
sign on an hourly basis and will refuse to pay for anything other than that.
We must book interpreters for 6hr days but this , for health and safety reasons will only involve a maximum of 4 hrs interpreting (and
that's if the timetables fall right). Furthermore, we have 4 staff interpreters to ensure we fulfill our reponsibilities and can be flexible
enough to respond to timetable changes, last minute group meetings etc etc. These costs have to be covered as well. In order to do this, we
provide a quote to LEA's rather than a retrospective claim - something I argue we should be fully entitled to do. Provided the student's
ACCESS Centre recommendations are fully met and the student signs for that (rather than for each individual hour) I think this should be
sufficient.
Interestingly, as an ACCESS Centre assessor I am well aware that our in-house service is considerably cheaper than services provided by an
Agency. Perhaps the DfES should think about that when they start these things because we will shortly have to consider whether we continue
with our in-house service if we are refused the ability to charge in the way I have described above.
Paddy
-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Hill [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 16 May 2003 15:48
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: payment for missed DSA tutorials
Hi
Another issue - which has been covered during previous debates on this subject - concerns simple business/contractual arrangements. It may
seem fine for the LEA to withhold payment for non-attendance where the support provider is an HEI. What happens where the provider is a
private organisation? Perhaps this is an example of HEIs needing to take a more business-minded approach by stating their terms of
provision up front - to the LEA. HEIs set costs, so why are the LEAs dictating contractual conditions?
Regards
Peter Hill
Turner, Paddy wrote:
> In response to Keith - I'm sure you're right regarding the sharper
> memory but I think you're missing the point. Discrimination takes
> place for a reason related to a person's disability, doesn't it? None
> of us would be doing this and certainly the interpreter, dyslexia
> support tutor etc wouldn't be there if that person wasn't disabled -
> ergo if the student is penalised for not turning up/informing someone
> about not turning up, then they are being penalised for a reason
> related to their disability - no other student can be financially
> penalised for not turning up or informing a support worker, so it
> isn't fair to do so just because a student needs support. In a truly
> inclusive environment (admittedly an unrealistic one), an interpreter
> would be present in every session just in case a deaf student turned
> up!
>
> Courtesy is nice, but irrelevant.
>
> Paddy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Keith Silvester [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 16 May 2003 15:11
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: payment for missed DSA tutorials
>
>
> In response to Paddy, I think it is important to distinguish between
> those instances where the disability itself makes it difficult for the
> student to organise their time and make use of service, and those
> instances of simple lack of courtesy.
>
> I wonder how many students would suddenly and mysteriously find they
> had sharper memories if they knew they would have to pay for a
> non-show!!
>
> Keith Silvester
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Turner, Paddy [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 16 May 2003 14:55
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: payment for missed DSA tutorials
>
>
> Hmmm an interesting debate, but not one which I believe is thinking
> clearly about equality of opportunity and discrimination. This seems
> to me to be more about saving a few quid. A hearing student doesn't
> have to take on any additional responsibility for attending
> lectures/tutorials and will not be penalised for missing them (except
> by their academic tutor). The interpreter is there in order to ensure
> access and is the students right. Deaf students should not be
> penalised by the inadequacies of a system that has yet to catch up
> with their rights. By threatening financial penalties for failing to
> turn up I would argue that there may be a case for discrimination!
> Dyslexia tutorials are slightly different, but are also there as part
> of a package of support that the student has a right to. If financial
> penalties are threatened for a student whose disability may involve
> memory difficulties, organisational difficulties and who may be
> working twice as hard to achieve the same ends than other students and
> who may wake up one morning to find that attending a tutorial that day
> will be a step too far, then either they will refuse the support in
> the first place or could argue that they are being discriminated
> against as a result of their disability. I would be interested to hear
> how this position could legitimately be countered.
>
> Paddy Turner
> Disability Support Manager
> Sheffield Hallam University
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Keith Silvester [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 16 May 2003 14:36
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: payment for missed DSA tutorials
>
>
> Well, I think it's appropriate to charge the student. I find the
> increasing tendency to miss appointments is a real pain. Services for
> which the student doesn't have to pick up the tab are very prone to
> being misused. It is best to set such contractual terms out on paper
> before the support sessions begin. Legitimate reasons for non-show
> aside, I'm all for toughening up the system on this.
>
> Keith Silvester
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alison James [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 16 May 2003 13:07
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: payment for missed DSA tutorials
>
>
> Dear all
>
> I wonder if any of you are facing the same thorny issue as we are -
> concerning charging for missed dyslexia support sessions? We provide
> in-house dyslexia support through tutors who are periodically 'left in
> the lurch' by students, even though our learning support agreements
> flag up acceptable notice periods and tutors are vigilant with
> reminders.
>
> We also issue progress reports to LEAs, signed by tutor and student
> detailing the support received and when. Recently an LEA has informed
> us that since one of these sessions was a late cancellation (which we
> felt should be charged for in fairness to the tutor who had waited in
> vain for the student) they would not pay for such sessions in future
> and it would need to be charged directly to the student. We have
> sought advice from the DfES but have not found any clear guidance.
>
> Are other colleagues facing similar situations, and what sort of
> solutions have been found?
>
> I'd be very glad to know!
>
> Alison James
> Learning and Teaching Co-ordinator
> Surrey Institute of Art & Design, University College
> Falkner Road
> Farnham
> Surrey
> GU9 7DS
>
> Tel: 01252 892762
>
>
>
--
01905 753439
[log in to unmask]
www.study-pro.com
Dyslexia Consultancy and Resources
|