Dear Colleagues.
Thanks you very much for your comments and support on this issue.
The DSA entitlement and assessment process has a number of issues which
could be worked on, but as both an NNAC assessment centre manager and a Head
of Disability Services, I would welcome any investigation into the knowledge
and procedures held by LAs around this issue. Many of the colleagues with
whom I have worked in LAs have been professional and appropriate in their
responses to DSA applications, but as Ian rightly states, we do not know how
many applications have not been pursued because of LA responses.
A baseline standard of knowledge and training for LA officers dealing with
DSA applications, including current legislation, definitions of disability
and the difference between the social and medical model may help ensure a
consistency of approach.
James Kirby
Loughborough University
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ian F." <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2006 11:49 PM
Subject: Re: DDA 2005
> You raise an interesting point about students applying to DSA being turned
> down, Amanda.
>
> I think most awards officers work really hard to try to ensure the right
> people are referred for DSA assessment. Having said that, I do worry if
> there might be one, ten or even thousands of eligible students each year
> being turned down for DSA that we don't get to know about. We all hear of
> students who've had to persist in their applications and this makes me
> wonder how many students just gave up. There's no guarantee these students
> are revealing their problems to their universities, so the disability
> officer won't be able to get involved.
>
> I don't know what the answer is, but I think a start would be for the DfES
> to do a review of all DSA applications submitted to LAs - maybe over a
> fixed period, with details of decisions made and on what grounds.
>
> Maybe it's also up to assessors and disability officers to start gathering
> data from students who describe problems arranging their DSA application,
> so this information can be collated and reviewed e.g. by the DfES and any
> patterns that emerge (e.g. of problem with aspects of the DSA application
> process or with specific LAs) become clear.
>
> Regarding appeals - I think you're right that the DRC could get involved,
> but as LAs and DSA assessors are all answerable to the Secretary of State
> for Education I suggest any student who wants to appeal against any DSA
> decision should contact the DfES. Maybe the disability officer at their
> university could help.
>
> Ian Francis
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Amanda Kent" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2006 5:25 PM
> Subject: Re: DDA 2005
>
> (....)
>
> On a similar theme: there are other students with medical conditions being
> refused DSA, not being referred for DSA assessment of need, and being
> asked for additional evidence of how their condition is disabling in terms
> of university. the worst case i know of was a student with cystic fibrosis
> who sent a letter from his consultant to the LA and the student was then
> asked to write and explain how his condition was a disability. that
> delayed the needs assessment for a student with a moderate degree of need
> on several sections of the DSA.
>
> This business of LA officers making decisions on medical evidence needs to
> addressed. I would be interested to know how people on this list think
> that could done.
>
> Amanda Kent
> DSA Assessor
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