Apologies for the long delay on this but I only just got to my older 
emails.  The following may be of general interest and you might want 
to pass it on to students leaving the university:

Any disabled person may contact their local Social Services at 
any time (start with duty social worker) about adaptations to 
property and / or equipment and aids for daily living or just general 
personal assistance.   They should ask for an Occupational Therapy 
assessment (as the OTs have the expertise about equipment etc.) which 
will be organised by the Social Services OTs.    

If major adaptations 
are required to proposed living quarters (whether rented or 
owned) then the person may be eligible to apply to their Local 
Authority (NOT LEA, probably town / city council) for housing grants 
etc. to pay for those adaptations (these are means tested but OTs 
etc. will help fill in the forms and may get involved in design etc.).
Anyway: start with social services OTs.

(Note: for stduents we usually have to go to the HOME area Social 
Services dept., not the one where the Univ. is situated)

The interesting bit for Universities is that one Local Planning 
Officer I spoke to last year  said he BELIEVES that if you have a 
named person going into a named address within the University 
accommodation, the Local Authority would have to treat the University 
the same as any other Landlord: i.e. if the tenant's income was low 
enough the LA would pay for the adaptations, just as for private 
landlords. 

He was not aware of anyone actually having tried this, you 
would need to check that your area's planning officer interpreted the 
rules in the same way, and of course your named student would have to 
co-operate in making the applications etc., but if the person will be 
living in the accommodation for at least one year & possibly three to 
four years, it has to be worth a try.

I hope that's helpful, even if a bit late!
Regards, Deb

On Thu, 4 Feb 1999 13:01:54 -0000 "EDWARDS R.H." 
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Dear all,
> 
> Two of my students have decided that they would like to move out into
> privately rented accommodation next year. They have been living in
> campus halls up until now.
> 
> The first student is a wheelchair user, who has two CSV volunteers
> working with her. She would require an adapted bathroom, including wheel
> in, wheel out shower and low level furniture in her bedroom. I have
> found a landlord who is willing to be involved (luckily). He is prepared
> to have his house adapted but would like me to look into funding
> resources. We have designs in hand, so that is not an issue (unless
> anyone knows anyone who they could recommend).
> 
> The second student has a hearing impairment, and for safety's sake needs
> a vibrating pillow attachment and stobe light fitted to the house fire
> alarm system. The potential landlord is unaware of the student's
> impairment. The student is in a dilema about whether to declare his
> impairment to the landlord (legal/moral/safety implications), and also
> regarding funding for the adaptations.
> 
> Does anyone have any advice concerning getting financial help for these
> adaptations? As far as I am aware, the university had an obligation (as
> "the institution") for providing these facilities while the students
> lived in our property (campus halls) under the DSA. 
> 
> Many thanks in advance.
> 
> Richard Edwards.
> 
> Richard Edwards,
> Special Needs Officer,
> Department of Planning and Marketing,
> University of Wales Swansea,
> Singleton Park,
> Swansea SA2 8PP.
> 
> Tel: 01792 295336
> Minicom/Text: 01792 295089
> Fax: 01792 295336
> Mobile: 07801 13 63 63
> Email: [log in to unmask]

----------------------
Deb Viney
Disability Co-ordinator
University of Southampton
[log in to unmask]

Tel: 01 703 595644 (Monday, Wednesday & Friday)
01 703 597518 (Tuesday & Thursday)



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