Dyslexia Action has gone into administration

[emilydmm]

apologies if you see this more than once. DA has gone into administration suddenly yesterday. I am one of the psychologists who did work on a self employed basis for them. I just wanted to let people know who may have tuition or assessments booked because there is no one there anymore to let people know and I thought people may just turn up at the centres. Psychologists and teachers are still available for work so contact me for more details. This came completely out of the blue and I really feel for people who have paid up front for services.

Yes I saw this news yesterday. I am busy with a dyslexia course with them so will have to see how that pans out! Really sorry for all those that work there as I think that have around 200 staff.
Am I correct in understanding that they will still continue with their courses?

Yes I think the training arm is being sold off so that is still running

Didn't realise. I use their shop a lot so thanks for posting this. Such a shame.

You can find local specialist SpLD assessors and teachers through the patoss website.

Yes you can. We have set ourselves up as a separate entity in Wales with assessors and tutors. Www.dyslexiaaction.wales.
I also do spld assessments for children and adults for exam access arrangements etc and can be contacted via email [email protected]. I cover the south and Wales.

So many parents will be left not knowing where to go for support and yet people are out there to help. People can also seek refunds for tuition and assessments through their card companies. Hope this is useful

Your link doesn't work @emilydmm

It's work in progress and we are still constructing the site but it will be up in a few days. I'm meeting the ex DA Wales team tomorrow so will get some updates. The ex DA psychologists are also setting up a site. Probably be calling ourselves dyslexiaaction psychologists. Not vwet original but we want patents to be able to find us. The good news is the fees should be cheaper because DA won't be taking a cut !

I had been waiting for them to call me about tutoring. Any ideas how to find someone suitable now?

As mentioned above PATOSS has a national list of tutors/assessors

www.patoss-dyslexia.org/SupportAdvice/TutorAssessorIndex/

I need to find somebody to test my 10 yo for dyslexia. She has already been dx with ADHD. We were waiting for a full assessment with DA. Can't afford the extra for the BDA.

I've signed up to look at that PATOSS info. Just looking at a load of names on a list, how do you pick?

I can assess if you are interested. Where do you live ?

DA uses psychologists to assess and we would not be on the Patos site. That is for teachers. If you are too far away I can recommend an ex DA one. They need to be HCPC registered. I charge between £400 to £450 for a full assessment and report. Price difference is just to include travel if people are far away. Most of the ex DA psychologist's will be much cheaper than BDA.

The PATOSS site is for also specialist dyslexia assessors. The assessors on the site will have a specialist level 7 qualification to assess for Dyslexia. You need an assessor with a current assessment practising certificate and I would suggest looking in your area.

emily whilst I appreciate you are are shocked about losing your job, please stop giving out incorrect information (and blatantly touting for business which I believe is against MN T&C). There are other people on this site who also earn their living carrying out dyslexia assessments and who are listed on the PATOSS website.

Sorry if I came across like that but that was not my intention. Nor was I trying to get business. I posted it because there seems no other way to let people know that if they turn up for tuition or assessments at the centres with their children they won't be seen. I was also letting people know how they could get refunds. I have been thanked by people for letting them know.

I am very sorry to hear about the demise of DA but not at all surprised. My child was receiving tuition with a fabulous tutor in the Sheffield DA office in 2015. Very suddenly DA announced a strategic restructure, this turned out to be a brutal process during which all the experienced tutors left or were made redundant over a six month period. I spoke with the CEO of DA during this time & if was clear to me then that it was a charity in trouble. The Trustees should be called to account for the decision making that led to this outcome. DA staff in my experience were talented, committed and empathetic.....its such a shame for such a desperately needed service. Fortunately, the Sheffield DA teachers set up independently and continue to offer brilliant support dyslexic children across South Yorkshire.

I am also shocked to find Dyslexia Action has gone into administration. I am a specialist teacher with a current practising certificate who carried out assessments for them. The PATOSS website offers a full list of tutors and assessors. Private assessments are often cheaper because there are less overheads, so it is worth looking at this option.

Hi, I am the Joint Chair of the British Dyslexia Association. We are sad to learn that Dyslexia Action has gone into administration. We are doing everything we can to help parents and adults with dyslexia. We have lots of helpful materials on our website and a specific FAQs sheet on the home page now with helpful information for parents choosing tuition. We will be putting up more offers, including free stuff for specialist teachers and information in the next few days so do check it out. I should add, the BDA is in good financial shape. Thanks.

Thank you for all your responses

Dyslexia Action Wales's site is definitely up now. Covering assessments and tuition in Wales and Bath and Bristol. www.dyslexiaaction.wales. Ex DA psychologists can be found on a Facebook page called dyslexia action psychologists.

Really hope no one turns up to centres next week....

I was an employee of Dyslexia Action until Thursday 13th April when an administrator arrived at our office to advise us that DA had gone into administration, I was advised that I would not receive my salary this month and that I would have to claim any monies owed through the government. I was in complete shock. Clearly someone in the exc team should be held accountable for this mess. It appears that Regional & Area Managers were aware of the situation and were busy featering their own nests whilst other staff were continuing with their roles within DA. I am disgusted that staff were allowed to continue to book tuition/assessments/ awareness training & take payments from clients who were never going to receive the service they have paid for. DA had to many fat cats on big salaries, claiming expenses each month, draining the charity. Trustees should also be held accountable for allowing this situation. Since working for a charity and would think carefully before donating to one.

I am so sorry to hear this, the management of DA must be held to account for the dreadful way they have run the organisation for the past 18 months. They treated the staff in the Sheffield office with contempt, it was horrible to see. I work for a large voluntary sector organisation, I am aware financial times are hard in the current climate but there is no excuse to bully or withhold vital information from the workforce. I wish you and all the former employees much luck in the future. There are thousands of dyslexic children desperately in need of your support. X

Hi there,
I'm also a redundant member of Dyslexia Action's teaching team in Yorkshire. I like most, including many of the middle level managers, didn't know this was going to happen and I am gutted. I'm sure some people did know and they will have to live with their decision to stay quiet about it.
There are lots of wonderful things being done in Yorkshire by the people who are associated with DA now and in the past. I know the wonderful things will continue and the specialist teachers, like myself, will continue doing what they do best; putting their students and the people who need their support first.

Here's to new beginning and specialist teachers and assessors being able to put their students and the people concerned about dyslexia first!

Yorkshire and other areas in the country don't have to worry, the teachers and teams of staff supporting DA are still there, they are just in the process of joining new teams and new dyslexia networks.

It's true there is a future. My research shows how adult dyslexics achieve success, you can read this for free on www.bdadyslexia.org.uk a bit down the News section. I also have a book out on it ( all royalties going to the British Dyslexia Association). Can I say that there are some real heroes and heroines emerging out of this, the teachers who I hear are carrying on teaching and supporting for no income while this whole situation gets sorted out. I extend my heartfelt thanks to them.

That's what we all do when we care. Carry on regardless. Let's just hope the workers are paid the monies due to them.

I have 2 dyslexic children. Very sad to see the end of DA. Our first child was assessed through them, they were brilliant and the ed psychologist was lovely. DA only offered tutoring at their centre so we found a tutor through PATOSS (just emailed the 3 closest ones and went with the one that was available). She was amazing and also qualified to do assssments so she assessed our second child (in my opinion her assessment had the edge on DA ne but I guess it is luck of the draw on the day).
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend PATOSS for tutors and assessors.
What PATOSS don't do that DA did is lobby for dyslexics and offer telephone support and advice etc. It's a sad loss especially for the parents who have paid for a report and won't get one (they are expensive) and the ed psychologists who have done work and won't now be paid.