Dear colleagues...

Although I have no sound advice to contribute save to say that one of the
universities we are in contact with has added a further 13K to the NMH
Allowance for a student who exhausted the 11K available...making a total pot
of 24 / 25 K...

There is a further consideration here to throw into the pot...

As those providing a mechanism for employing support workers atart to follow
employment legislation (often an act instigated by DAs in Student Services
within a University) and factor in true costs of support the funding
available via the DSA (NI, Tax, payroll etc) for students such as you
mention the net result is that fewer and fewer support hours are available
for any given amount.

I remember the days of taking someone on a self employed basis and paying
the bare minimum...which after a bit of interest by Personnel was judged not
to be self employment, rather these people were employees with all the
rights this status confers and then Personnel got very very nervous...

...I realise that in this instance there is a proposition to make use of
support workers who are either CSVs and so covered by CSV rules /
regulations / protection and BSL interpreters who are likely to qualify for
the self employment badge but there are also notetakers and other
individuals who will be needed to complete the support package...

I do not have an answer but hope that someone fron the DfES is listening in
to take on board the message that there are some students for whom the
maximum allowance available still falls very far short of the amount needed
and that as Disability Advisers have been forced to take whatever steps they
have found necessary in the past to maximise the support availble to a
student corners have been cut and support has been set up which, given
current employment legislation is perhaps at best somewhat dodgy...at least
that may be the appraisal of a personnel / HR person...

My message is - being legal costs money...this is something the DfES needs
to take on board...because so long as there are such tight restrictions upon
the funding available DAs will be forced to explore alternative means of
securing the support a student needs...this is dangerous for the DA, the
student and the support worker...the University and of course The DfES...


Simon


Simon Bloor
Access SUMMIT
St Peters House
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9GH
Tel 0161 275 0990 / 0994
Fax 0161 275 0991
SMS 07968 289138

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-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pauline McInnes
Sent: Friday 13 August 2004 12:34
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [DIS-FORUM] Any advice please? (fwd)


Hi Terry,

You've probably thought of this already, but have you applied for the
Snowdon fund, which could get the student at least an extra 2000 pounds and
don't forget the Access to Learning fund should be able to provide at least
another 3500, I know that probably still won't be enough but I would use all
those avenues first. 

We have just had some success in getting one of our faculties to pay for
some software for a VI student, but the cost wasn't more than about £1000
all up including training.  

Regards
Pauline. 


-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Theresa Stone
Sent: 11 August 2004 12:56
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Any advice please? (fwd)

---------- Forwarded Message ----------
Date: 11 August 2004 12:47 +0100
From: Theresa Stone <[log in to unmask]>
To: Brenda Giddey--STU SERVICE <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Any advice please?

Dear All,

I wonder if anyone can advise. We have a deaf student joining Sussex this
Autumn. The student's first language is BSL and he has requested Interpreter
Support for all lectures. We will also be arranging note taker support for
lectures and seminars and are expecting to have an Access Centre
recommendation to include Learning Support. CSWs will be required for group
work, library work, meetings with tutors (including seminars, although it is
likely that the Interpreter who covered a given lecture would need to cover
the corresponding seminar).

The support costs are, as anticipated, in excess of the DSA. We need to be
able to make a case for consideration of the costs by the University and it
would be extremely helpful to know whether similar costs have been covered
by other institutions, including the extent e.g. any maximums.

Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Kind regards
Terry

Theresa Stone, Disability Co-ordinator
Student Services, University of Sussex
Tel: 01273 877465
email: [log in to unmask]

---------- End Forwarded Message ----------



Theresa Stone, Disability Co-ordinator
Student Services, University of Sussex
Tel: 01273 877465
email: [log in to unmask]