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So Alex, you think a Educational Psychologist top up can be funded from a Disabled Student Allowance that has been refused??? Interesting, isn't that what someone once called Catch-22? Dr John S Conway FGS FRGS MNADO FHEA Disability Officer / Principal Lecturer in Soil Science / Chair, Research Committee Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, Glos GL7 6JS 01285 652531 ext 2234 fax 01285 650219 http://www.rac.ac.uk/index.php?_id=590 <http://www.rac.ac.uk/index.php?_id=590> email [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ________________________________ From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of alex larg Sent: Friday, April 27, 2007 10:15 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Postgraduate DSA Funding On 27/4/07 09:32, "John Conway" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: How would one react to an LA that granted a undergrad DSA. But then refused the same student a postgrad DSA. On the grounds that the evidence required had changed [i.e. from a simple assessment to the post 16 EP. Report], and the evidence present at the undergrad stage was no longer valid?? I would say get on with it John! The student should respect that if the regulations change, and of course students and DOs have every opportunity to be part of commenting on how the regulations evolve and develop, then it is their duty and responsibility to find the time and the funds to provide up to date information and evidence. Then, of course, the student should have a new or top up study needs assessment (450 pounds from their own DSA, but with little choice of who their assessor will be and little or no knowledge of their assessor's qualifications or background or probably even sex). When all of this is done the course is likely to be over and so this proves that they didn't need the equipment in the first place! Of course their grades may have suffered, but are we measuring that and does it matter? I think it matters. I think you should mention this to Boris. I think David Austen's most recent message should also be sent to Boris. Best wishes, Alex Alex Larg [log in to unmask] 07931 561 877 or 07916 175 077 Freelance Assistive Technology Trainer Freelance study needs assessor Former Disability Officer Dr John S Conway FGS FRGS MNADO FHEA Disability Officer / Principal Lecturer in Soil Science / Chair, Research Committee Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, Glos GL7 6JS 01285 652531 ext 2234 fax 01285 650219 http://www.rac.ac.uk/indexphp?_id=590 <http://www.rac.ac.uk/index.php?_id=590> <http://www.rac.ac.uk/index.php?_id=590> <http://www.rac.ac.uk/index.php?_id=590> email [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ________________________________ From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Ian F. Sent: Friday, April 27, 2007 2:45 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Postgraduate DSA Funding Hi, regarding LA-funded Postgrads, according to current (and previous) DfES guidance: quote: Once an LA has established that a student is an eligible student under the regulations (i.e. eligible to receive support for fees and loans) the student becomes eligible at that stage to receive DSA support. An assessment of course needs should be arranged as soon as possible after it is established that the student is eligible for support and the LA is satisfied that they have a disability, specific learning difficulty or a mental health problem. This arrangement should mean that appointments for assessments are spread over the early summer, and will help to reduce the backlog of appointments in September/October time... see http://www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/administrators/doc/DSA Guidance.doc <http://www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/administrators/doc/DSA%20Guidance .doc> <http://www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/administrators/doc/DSA%20Guidance .doc> an html version of this document is available at http://www.asasa.org.uk/assessment/LA-DSA-2007.htm LAs are given specific advice about early DSA assessments by the DfES in this document: The cost of the early DSA assessment should be met from the DSA. ... In the case of students not going on to attend a course, they should not be asked to repay the fee for the needs assessment. In many cases, they will reapply for higher education courses the following year and in such cases, the needs assessment already completed for them should be sufficient to process their new DSA application. The Department is prepared to write off the assessment costs for those students who do not enter higher education. And about students going on to postgraduate studies: Students who have just graduated and are proceeding directly to postgraduate study should be able to use their current DSA assessment as a basis for their support. This means that for non-medical helpers, for example, the students can continue to receive support without the necessity of a new assessment. If the student wishes to undergo a new assessment, whether because the disability is now different or the needs of the course are substantially different, that can be paid for from the DSA. If the student seeks new equipment, the LA will need to take into account any equipment the student received as an undergraduate, having regard to how recently the equipment was bought and how appropriate it now is for the software necessary to support the student's disability. The Department's view is that the LA could replace equipment provided in the first year of an undergraduate course, but would need to look carefully at requests for new equipment if it had been provided in the final year of an undergraduate course. Students who might be eligible for research council funding should start the application process asap. Research Councils tend to take a sensible approach by adopting the undergraduate DSA funding structure as opposed to the current postgrad single allowance provided by central government, which really needs to be sorted out as it makes no sense that a student who might need up to 20k or more worth of assistance as an undergraduate only needs around a quarter of this as a postgraduate. What is the 'protocol system', by the way? It doesn't seem to be mentioned in the guidance provided by the DfES. ----- Original Message ----- From: David Austen <mailto:[log in to unmask]> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 4:54 PM Subject: Re: Postgraduate DSA Funding Hello Caroline Perhaps the situation with post graduate, as well as part time students, where the 'protocol system' does not allow LEAs to process a DSA application until the student is actually registered at the Institution (as last year), can also be addressed. There is also the situation where some LEAs are already processing applications for full time 07/08 undergrads, where others state that no applications will be processed until , again, the student is registered. This, as I understand it, is not in line with DFES guidelines. Best David Asuten www.cambridgeaccesscentre.com <http://www.cambridgeaccesscentre.com> <http://www.cambridgeaccesscentre.com> ----- Original Message ---- From: Caroline Davies <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Thursday, 19 April, 2007 4:34:18 PM Subject: Re: Postgraduate DSA Funding I will ask for it to be put on the Agenda of the next Skill HE Working Party meeting in May. Maybe Skill can take some action on this with the funding councils. Caroline ----- Original Message ----- From: Marie Norris <mailto:[log in to unmask]> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 2:49 PM Subject: Re: Postgraduate DSA Funding Dear all, For information: This was raised and discussed at the last NE Region Skill/DSA meeting. Ellen at Skill was gathering information about the issue as it had already caused a number of difficulties at some universities. (Her email address is [log in to unmask] ) Best wishes, Marie Marie Norris phone: 0845 833 9971 fax: 0845 833 9979 text/mobile: 07702 598408 text only: 07786 204296 [log in to unmask] www.clear-links.co.uk <http://www.clear-links.co.uk/> <http://www.clear-links.co.uk/> Clear Links Support Ltd Globe Works Penistone Road Sheffield S6 3AE Please use the Globe Works address above for all correspondence. Registered Office: Wake Smith Solicitors 68 Clarkehouse Road Sheffield S10 2LJ This message and any attachments are confidential and should only be read by those to whom they are addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete this message from your computer and destroy all copies. Any views or opinions are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company. ________________________________ From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Emma Price Sent: 19 April 2007 12:38 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Postgraduate DSA Funding Dear all There appears to be a number of research councils who are now transferring administrative and financial responsibility for the DSA directly to institutions. We are currently aware of the AHRC and the ESRC who have taken up this model. The AHRC have decided to transfer the required funds to the institution, in order to pay suppliers, non-medical helpers etc. The transfer goes directly into a general account (the same as used for any block grants) as and when requested. The ESRC work on a reimbursement system, with the College claiming back any deficit spent throughout the year on ESRC DSA. I'm skipping the details here, however this generally means that DSA goes into a wider pool of money, making our administrative task of getting our hands on the funds more problematic, though this may just be us! I wonder if this is a problem for other institutions who have a significant proportion of PG research activity. It would be ideal if someone at the research council was responsible for notifying the allocated Disability Support Officer at the institution when money was being transferred - in the same way that LAs aim to keep DOs in the loop. No knowledge that the funds have been transferred results in an unnecessary delay for the student. Has anyone else found this? Best wishes Emma Emma Price Disability Co-ordinator King's College London ________________________________ Yahoo! Mail is the world's favourite email. Don't settle for less, sign up for your free account today <http://uk.rd.yahoo.com/evt=44106/*http:/uk.docs.yahoo.com/mail/winter07 .html> <http://uk.rd.yahoo.com/evt=44106/*http:/uk.docs.yahoo.com/mail/winter07 .html> . ________________________________ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 269.5.4/768 - Release Date: 19/04/2007 05:32 ________________________________ I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 280 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Try SPAMfighter <http://www.spamfighter.com/len> <http://www.spamfighter.com/len> for free now! 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