Faye, apologies if I implied that colleges were being money
grabbing, that is not what I believe or the point I was making.
Colleges will and should do what they can in order to support
students as much as they can and that often can cost money.
However, I do believe that it is important that people are given a
correct diagnosis of a condition, especially one that can have
profound consequences for how the student perceives themselves,
the emotional baggage that can arise form being told they are
dyslexic and how they go through the rest of the lives, from a fully
qualified professional.
On 13 Jun 03, at 15:40, Faye Langston wrote:
>
>
> As with anything there are good and bad internal assessors as well as
> Educational Psychologists - both have their part to play in the
> process.
>
> I can assure you that our internal assessor does not assess students
> simply to gain extra money but to ensure their learning difficulties
> are assessed correctly so that the student can then decide whether to
> apply for support from the DSA or simply to use institutional support
> - not all of the students who are assessed as being Dyslexic here
> decide to pursue DSA and the only 'money' that institutions get would
> be via those who do claim support under DSA's.
>
> An institution having an internal assessor doesn't = money grabbing,
> it = supporting students alongside other methods and professionals.
>
> Faye Langston
> Coventry University
>
>
>
> BRYAN JONES wrote:
> >
> > Well possibly, but I suspect a few Ed Psychs would give you an
> > argument. Also I've seen quite a few internal FE reports and have
> > not been particularly impressed. Nor have LEAs and DfES which is
> > why Ed Psych reports are usually and increasingly required. As I
> > stated before, confirming that someone has dyslexia should not be
> > taken lightly, it may allow a college to get some extra funding to
> > support the student, which is nice, but it is the student who has to
> > live with the presumption that they are dyslexic, when actually they
> > may not be.
> >
> > On 13 Jun 03, at 14:17, Faye Langston wrote:
> >
> > > Bryan
> > >
> > > Internal Assessors often have a better or at least the same
> > > understanding of how Dyslexia may affect student in HE as
> > > Educational Psychologists. Most non Ed Psych assessors are
> > > competent professionals highly qualified in their own field and
> > > fully able to support students through the diagnosis and provide
> > > detailed reports.
> > >
> > > Internal assessors have, in my experience, often given more detail
> > > and clarity within reports than some Educational Psychologists who
> > > charge at least £300 a time.
> > >
> > > Internal assessors have their place within the system alongside
> > > all other professionals involved in supporting students.
> > >
> > > Faye Langston
> > > Coventry University
> > >
> > > BRYAN JONES wrote:
> > > >
> > > > It's a little worrying the students are still being confirmed as
> > > > having dyslexia, which is something which should not be done
> > > > lightly, by internal assessors (who they?) without an assessment
> > > > by an Ed Psych at all. That aside, the Hardship fund, as others
> > > > have said, can be used to fund the diagnosis. The fund can
> > > > start supporting students from August, although students do have
> > > > to be enrolled in order to apply. One could possibly get the
> > > > get the agreement of whoever adminsisters the Hardship fund
> > > > within an institution that the cost of an assessment, undertaken
> > > > in August or September, would be reimbursed once the student has
> > > > enrolled.
> > > >
> > > > On 13 Jun 03, at 12:38, Faye Langston wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Keith
> > > > >
> > > > > I'm not a financey person but we have been told we cannot ring
> > > > > fence hardship funds and only eligible students can have
> > > > > funding for an Ed PSych - so am eager to work out how we can
> > > > > ring fence these funds as you seem to.
> > > > >
> > > > > Faye Langston
> > > > > Coventry University
> > > > >
> > > > > Keith Silvester wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Faye,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Sorry, I was speaking in shorthand.... Our institution has
> > > > > > agreed that it will meet the cost of any (home) student
> > > > > > taking the test, which costs us currently £250 a go. We do
> > > > > > not means test the student, but they do have to 'physically'
> > > > > > fill out a short application form and apply for the Hardship
> > > > > > Funds. The Psych then invoices the institution direct, not
> > > > > > the student. (Hope this is worthy of the 'crystal mark'!)
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Keith
> > > > > >
> > > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > > From: Faye Langston [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> > > > > > Sent: 13 June 2003 10:18
> > > > > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > > > > Subject: Re: Educational Psychologists reports for
> > > > > > prospective students
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Keith
> > > > > >
> > > > > > How does your hardship fund automatically pay for Ed Psych
> > > > > > reports? dont your students have to apply/be eligible?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Faye Langston
> > > > > > Coventry University
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Keith Silvester wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Well, we undertake the 'full monty', using an outsourced
> > > > > > > psych who comes in every week. We know that LEAs won't
> > > > > > > accept anything less for DSA purposes. We pay it
> > > > > > > automatically from the Hardship Fund.
> > > > > > > The autumn term is the heavy period for testing. There
> > > > > > > are
> > > > > > > difficulties with students who want to be tested prior to
> > > > > > > enrolment, because we cannot use the Hardship Fund for
> > > > > > > them. So, I give them the choice - to get tested at their
> > > > > > > own expense prior to the course, or to wait till they're
> > > > > > > here.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Keith Silvester
> > > > > > > Central School of Speech and Drama
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > -----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
> > > > > > > [log in to unmask]
> > > >
> > > > Bryan Jones
> > > > Disability Support Services Manager
> > > > Tel: 020 8411 5367
> >
> > Bryan Jones
> > Disability Support Services Manager
> > Tel: 020 8411 5367
Bryan Jones
Disability Support Services Manager
Tel: 020 8411 5367
|