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Higher education

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Original poster

DSA Assessment

13 replies

Flump9 · 13/05/2022 16:22

Hi does anyone have experience/knowledge of DSA? We've been told to book an assessment for DD with Autism and I can see there are different companies that you can book an assessment with. Does it matter which company? Do any of them have good/bad rep? Does the company you have the assessment with have to be the one that provides the support? Only one that I can see actually mentions the kind of support they can provide.

OP posts:
PowerfulWombSpaceRespector · 13/05/2022 16:58

We booked with the assessor who was based at the uni DC is going to. It was outsourced to someone else - but she reported in to the person who sat in the office next door to the university's disability support officer. We met with the university disability support first and she advised us to go with the ones based on campus rather than anyone local to us. It just meant that we got specific "at this uni they do/have X and Y" rather than generalisation. The assessment company do not provide the actual help.

MatildaJayne · 13/05/2022 21:59

I found that the DSA assessment was all about what they could provide. Much less adversarial than EHCP assessments with the LA. I attended with my DS at his request, to make sure he didn’t forget anything. The most useful thing provided was weekly access to an autism mentor.

Tomnooktoldmeto · 13/05/2022 22:16

We’re waiting to book for both our DC , we’ve been told that the Uni one is much better than a local independent one so will go with them as DC1 in particular Is quite complex

Pokkadots · 13/05/2022 22:19

Try and use the uni one if you can.

PowerfulWombSpaceRespector · 14/05/2022 08:42

I found that the DSA assessment was all about what they could provide. Much less adversarial than EHCP assessments with the LA.

OMG yes to this. They were throwing stuff at us and even when we said no they said they'd put it in as an option in case DC changed his mind.

Original poster
Flump9 · 14/05/2022 11:27

I was wondering if it would be better going to the assessment at the Uni but this is the one that gives the least info about any potential support. I don't know what support she will need, she never had an EHCP she just had IEP at Primary then by Secondary she was very much a rule follower and because she did well academically they didn't really do much to support her apart from stop giving her grief about not joining in in PE or group tasks. She only got the official diagnosis in Year 10. I think a mentor is probably gong to be the main thing. I presume they only help with the academic side of Uni and not the social side of things or independence? She is planning on living there and coming home at the weekends but doesn't go in shops or buy things on her own so i'm picturing her living off whatever snacks she can pack and take with her each week. Sadly no suitable Uni's had catered halls. She didn't want to be far from home so she can commute if living on campus isn't for her.
The Uni has 2 campuses her course is at the one further away do you think it's ok going to the nearer one, it should be the same support at both campuses I would think?

OP posts:
EmotionalSupportOlive · 14/05/2022 12:04

The Uni has 2 campuses her course is at the one further away do you think it's ok going to the nearer one, it should be the same support at both campuses I would think? That's the kind of thing that using the uni based assessor would help with. Have you made contact with the university's own disability support team? We had did this early doors to support his campus accommodation request. They talked about smaller tutorial groups, extra time in exams etc which was also covered in the DSA assessment.

DS was offered an hour a week with an ASD specialist study skills support advisor, and the same time with an ASD specialist mentor. One of them was going to help with helping him work better during group tasks, in tutorials and with presentations.

He had no support at all at primary and an LSA in a few classes in year 7-8 and nothing tangible at all since then, so this is all a welcome help.

CoffeeWithCheese · 14/05/2022 12:14

I had mine with the one located on the university site. It was fine - they were very clued in on what the university policies stated that they SHOULD be doing in terms of recording lectures, making powerpoint available in advance and were happy to administer an arse kicking if this wasn't being done.

Like other people say - they practically throw support at you - it's completely different to fighting through the school SEN system!

CoffeeWithCheese · 14/05/2022 12:16

The only thing I'd say is I don't know anyone who had a DSA issued laptop who actually finished the course with it - they're... not the greatest. I bought my own and made sure it met the specs and then got the software recommended installed onto it.

EmotionalSupportOlive · 14/05/2022 13:07

CoffeeWithCheese that's interesting, how did you go about that? DS likes his laptop, it's only 2.5 years old, he hates change and it's a higher spec than the one they have recommended for us. Obviously he could pay to upgrade it but it seems a bit daft when he's got one here.

CoffeeWithCheese · 14/05/2022 19:55

I just said when I went to the appointment that I had a decent laptop and showed them the specs - and then when they put the whole thing out for quotes from suppliers they just made a note that it was going to be an install onto my own machine job.

Lougle · 14/05/2022 20:02

I can't help with the DSA process, but my LA buy in to braininhand.co.uk/ - it's a personalised help app with a link to an advisor. Might be worth trying?

EmotionalSupportOlive · 15/05/2022 08:32

DS was offered Braininhand as part of his DSA award.

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