A thread for asking re DSA / SFE during UCAS applications / starting University etc

[BasiliskStare]

That's all.

Not sure if this is helpful , it will disappear if not. But have seen a few questions related to this. Am happy to give DS's experience (dyslexia) if it helps.

I think ds just filled out as much as he could and sent off the form after he received his post 16 report (late July). The uni must have been contacted separately, or that section may only be relevant if it was being applied for after starting the course.

He has been told his support will also apply next year.

Ok thanks both - I will get him to phone the uni once he has sent it off to them so at least they will know to expect something.

Ds found it very helpful to contact the Disability support service at his university beforehand. We had an interview with them even before he had his results which was reassuring in knowing what support they would provide. It also meant we knew about their pre starting course for students with ASD though I suppose they might have contacted all the students who declared a relevant disability on their UCAS form.
It is best to check re the post 16 assessment but I know of some applying this year with ASD but no SPLD who did not need one though his ASD dx was quite recent.

GP wants £48 to write a letter to confirm DD's diagnosis.
Surely that's a bit bloody steep?

DD refused to apply for DSA before she started uni (on the assumption that by getting a place, she would miraculously become well ), but she had to provide medical evidence to the uni when she firmed her place, which triggered priority booking for halls, setting up of exam allowances (rest breaks, opportunity to sit exams in the resit period but as a first sitting), automatic extensions for assignments.

The DSA assessment was great - all about "what stuff can we offer you to make your study easier?", and equipment she can keep afterwards. Not sure if the software needs to be relicenced each year, or if that's for always too.

In DDs case, the application processed was smoothed by already getting DLA, which made the medical evidence needed less important (fortunately, as she hadn't seen her consultant for nearly two years at that point).

Her friend, who applied in advance of starting, had all her equipment and training provided at home in the summer term before she started.

Ds finally got the application off to his uni having spent ages trying to get a copy of his statement from the LA. They couldn't find him on the system he didn't transfer to an EHCP as he had left school by that point. Managed to get a copy from the LS dept at his old college.

He included a sae for the uni to send the form on to sfe - not sure if they will think that cheeky but time is ticking on and I'm not sure it will all kick in for September

I am pretty sure that we were just doing it at this time last year and it was all in place for September (or should have been but that's another story).

Hi has anyone any experience of what to do when the support given is not enough - uni seem to be trying to do it all on the cheap and don't seem to have even applied for funding for most of what is needed by DS. DS didn't want to make a fuss but it feels like the days before DS had a statement...

Please help if you can. I really feel that DS is being let down and I don't know what I can do to change it.

don't does your DS have DSA. Is it that the university is not implementing what the DSA says or is it that he is dependent on what the university will provide itself?

uni don't seem to have applied for DSA funding - the needs assessor said the DSA no longer funds the support that is needed which I'm pretty sure is not the case. He had virtually full time 1-1 support provided for by a statement at school.
She really did not appear to grasp how severe his difficulties are or how much support he needs.
I think that means the uni are funding it themselves.

PS thanks for answering - It's really awful that he is back in this situation after working so hard to get to uni.

My understanding is that it is the student who applies for DSA. They then have needs assessment and then SFE (if in England) approves the recommended provision and pays the money to the university who then set up the support.
I would challenge that DSA doesn't fund the support he needs. They have restricted note- takers for example as so many universities put their lecture material online now. However my DS (ASD, OCD, dyslexia) has a meeting with a mentor twice a week, a once weekly study skills session and appointments with the disability support officer as needed. The mentor and study skills is funded by his DSA and my understanding is that once weekly mentoring sessions is pretty standard for students with ASD.
It is heartbreaking that your ds is not getting the support he needs and I think wrong. Ds's support has been great and he frankly wouldn't be coping without it.

I am posting here as this seems the most relevant thread; hope that's ok. My dd did her finance application ages ago but did not tick the box re disability, even though she suffers from depression and anxiety and is on meds (and has been for more than a year). We were under the impression that they were referring to disabilities requiring special equipment. I now believe that she should have ticked this box, as she is going to be paying for her prescriptions and I would feel better knowing that the uni was aware of her mental health situation. Does anyone know whether this is something which you can go back in and revise?

You can apply for DSA at any time, so she can easily revise it and still be in time to get things in place for the start of the year.
She will need to have a needs assessment done but that can be done at any university not necessarily the one she is going to. She will also need proof (from eg GP or hospital) of her conditions.

I would think that a mentor could be very useful for your dd if she was willing to go for that. It is also helpful to contact the university disability service directly so that she is on their radar. It might be worth checking out the student health service as some seem better than others. Is she seeing mental health services or only the GP?

She has been seeing camhs but they have lost the guy she was seeing and have yet to replace him, so she saw a GP for a meds review yesterday. The GP is going to chase camhs, as she was concerned that my dd hasn't seen anyone since Jan. So far there has been no continuity of care and no one still involved that she has seen before. I am not sure who to approach for a supporting letter, but thanks for your response.

I would think a letter from the GP should be fine.
I just asked about mental health services involvement as it could be helpful to ask them to refer to the services local to the university for continuity of care. It sounds as if you have more immediate problems with that though. I hope you get it sorted soon.

thanks NoHaud - he does get some DSA (for kit and some support linked to that ) but the needs assessor wouldn't apply for funding for any NMH support and that is what DS really needs more than anything.

I asked for the needs assessment to be redone straight away but uni refused saying that would delay him getting support which they said they were going to provide anyway without DSA funding (although they didn't provide anything until several months later - and then only the bare minimum).

I think DS probably needs a new needs assessment but have no idea how to go about achieving this. I have been hitting a complete brick wall with the disability service who seem almost more obstructive than our LEA were when DS needed a statement.

SFE have said it's possible to get a new needs assessment but I have no idea how to go about this. or if there is another way.

I don't even think teaching staff have been given advice on reasonable adjustments they can make.

You could try the Disabled Students Helpline on 0800 328 5050 (part of Disability Rights UK).
It sounds as if his university has handled this very badly.

thank you they have.

Simbobs - you've probably sorted it already, but DD just contacted ucas, said she'd ticked the wrong box and they sorted it.

She's just had a letter from uni offering her an early arrival (3 days before other students), so hopefully this will help her settle in.

My daughter did not apply at least at the start. I think there was stuff like help with a lap top cost which she did not need help over and had one. However she did later and as in her A levels had a bit of extra time (she is slightly dyslexic and we have a psychologist's report on that).

My son had extra time and typed his exams (dyspraxic) and I did have a useful talk with the university disability people in his last year at his request when he was finding it hard to remember dates and times. He gave me access to his university email (not something I particularly needed or wanted) and I would then send him reminders - he was commuting from home by that year - of when essays were due, where he had to be and when and he credits that with getting him his degree actually. Again he did not as far as I remember notify UCAS when applying.

DS had a letter this week to say his DSA application was on hold until they received a copy of his statement which is odd as he sent 2 copies to his uni plus 2 copies of the last annual review paperwork, one lot to be forwarded to sfe with the application form once they had filled out their bit of it. He enclosed a SAE so his uni could post it on but they must have held on to both of them . He'll get it all emailed off this weekend but its very late in the year now so I'm not sure anything will be in place by September.

Did everyone get all their DSA stuff sorted? DD has had a few hiccups with hers, but we're nearly there I think

Yes all sorted for ds. He gets extra time, laptop with tons of specific software on it, printer/scanner, printing allowance, pastoral mentor, academic mentor and a third person too but I can't remember what he does. He met with the academic mentor and was not impressed saying it would be far simpler to talk to his tutor or the lecturer when he needs something clarified which is what he seems to be doing. So far he is doing well - the printer has been the most useful as he much prefers a hard copy of text that he can highlight and scribble all over.

Hope your dd's support gets sorted soon.