Clare
Yes this was my understanding but one of the enquiries came from an FE
Disability Officer who quite vocally told me that if I didn't sort out
and educational Psychologist report for this student prior to commencing
the course I would be causing unfair prejudice and could be taken to
court under the DDA! So I hope this is just one FE college trying to
pass the buck and doesn't mark the thin end of any kind of wedges.
But the problem is still there - students are falling into no
mans/persons land over the summer when they could be getting their needs
assessed.
Faye Langston
Coventry University
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Clare Davies wrote:
>
> I was under the impression that FE Colleges could fund Educational
> Psychologist assessments for their students. Is this incorrect? We
> encourage applicants from FE to get their assessment before coming to
> university. There is certainly no guarantee that they would be eligible for
> hardship funds once they get to university, as these are means-tested, so I
> would not want to see prospective students putting off their assessment in
> expectation of this funding.
>
> Clare Davies
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Dixon, Mary
> Sent: 13 June 2003 09:00
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Educational Psychologists reports for prospective students
>
> Hi Faye,
>
> The situation is the same here. I find it really strange, on the one hand
> the DfES recognises the need for students to start their courses with
> support in place, and has allowed LEAs to fund statutory assessments of need
> to be carried out from Easter, providing medical evidence and an HE 1 form
> has been submitted. On the other, the powers that be have made changes to
> the status of dyslexia assessments that will ensure that a great many
> dyslexic students will have to be on courses before they can be funded for
> EP reports via the hardship fund. With the ensuing waiting times I think
> that this will mean that many student will have to manage for most of their
> first year of study before actually getting necessary support. This is
> obviously discriminatory but I have no idea what the answer is.
>
> Mary
>
> ----Original Message-----
> From: Faye Langston [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 12 June 2003 16:46
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Educational Psychologists reports for prospective students
>
> Hello all,
>
> We have had queries from prospective students about the University
> financing Educational Psychologists tests for Dyslexia prior to the
> start of term - as now LEAs wont accept eligibility for DSA's without a
> full test.
>
> In the past our internal assessors reports have been acceptable to
> LEA's/NHS as well as FE colleges own internal assessors who are not Ed
> Psychs - this is now not the case so it appears there is a shortfall for
> students who may have to wait for a full Ed Psych test to be eligible
> for DSA who wouldnt previously have had to wait for DSA eligibility at
> all.
>
> Are any other University's facing enquiries such as these? How are Ed
> Psych reports funded at your institution? Here at Coventry students have
> either been tested internally which has previously been acceptable to
> LEA's/NHS or have to apply for the Hardship Fund and if they are
> eligible that can pay for an Ed Psych test - but that only happens once
> students are here on their course.
>
> Obviously the current set up will mean students needs not being able to
> be assessed over the summer and so support delayed considerably for
> those without Ed PSychs but with Dyslexia tests and so I am anxious to
> find out what other University's are now doing to fund Ed Psychs prior
> to the start of term so that DSA assessments can take place????
>
> Apologies to colleagues if the above doesn't make sense - its been one
> of those days!
>
> Many thanks
>
> Faye Langston
> Disabilities Welfare Co-ordinator
> Coventry University
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