Disabled Student Allowence

[Jenny]

Well I just thought I would let you all know that my college have arranged for me to see a educational psychologist so that I can get the help I need when I go to university in Sept.

Any hints, tips, advice for this appointment would be great. It's not for a few weeks yet - 11th April.

[mindsquatter]

Hi Jenny,
Unfortunately I can't help specifically with the educational psychologist (I had an assessment at an access centre for my DSA), so I don't know how much use my experience would be.

My 'top tips' for anything like this would be to take along some info on HMS, in case they've never heard of it, and take someone with you. More often than not, I forget some of the major stuff, and it does help to have someone there to jog your memory.

Sorry if you've posted this elsewhere, but are you in touch with the student support department of the university? They normally have specific disability support people who can also help with the process of applying for DSA, and (at least in my experience) welcome contact from prospective students too.

Hope I've helped,
Michelle

[Jenny]

Hi Jenny,
My 'top tips' for anything like this would be to take along some info on HMS, in case they've never heard of it, and take someone with you. More often than not, I forget some of the major stuff, and it does help to have someone there to jog your memory.

He is coming to do the assessment at my home and so my Mum (or somebody) has to be present. I have a HMS leaflet he can have as I find these can be very useful.

Sorry if you've posted this elsewhere, but are you in touch with the student support department of the university?

It was the student support services at my college who have organised this. I don't know if and where I will be going to university yet so will have to wait untill I can contact them.

Thanks for the advice, and I will definately make the connections as soon as I can.

Do you get DSA?

[mindsquatter]

Hi Jenny,
Yeah, I do get DSA - I have done since last January, and to be honest, I don't think I could have coped at Uni without it.

Even if you don't know where you're going, I would still get in touch with the different Universities. I had to apply two years running before I got into university, and its much easier to let people know you won't be attending than trying to get arrangements made after the A Level results come out (assuming that's what you're waiting for!)

Michelle

[Jenny]

Right I know now I have got a place I would accept! (My second choice) Only literally just found out. So I will do some ringing around next week and see what information I can get. There is a money evening on monday night at college which I'm going to and could be useful!

So how does your DSA benefit you?

What do you recieve?

What criteria did you recieve it on (if it's personal don't say)? (Just I'm not sure I would get it!)

[mindsquatter]

My DSA ... I wouldn't have managed university without it, I'm sure of that.
I got it soley because of my HMS and associated problems, but you do have to explain a lot about what you struggle with, and that can be quite upsetting (I'm not trying to put you off, but I wish I'd realised how hard the assessment would be before I did it)

As for what I was awarded ... there's a bit of a list

I got around £3,000 of equipment initially - computer (including voice recognition software) desk, chair, dictaphone, book rest and training for the more technical stuff

To save me getting books out of the library and getting them home, I have £300 an academic year to spend on books.

I'm entitled to £50 a year photocopying (ideal if it's just one chapter of a heavy book you want to read.

And I get £200 a year for peripherals - batteries for the dictaphone, printer paper, and 2 printer cartridges a year.

I get taxi travel paid for over what I would pay on the bus aswell

They also send a copy of the report to the university, with recommendations on what can be done to make things easier and, at least in my case, the disability support people sent the information to my lecturers.

I don't know how the educational psychologist would fit into the process - as I said, I had to go to an assessment centre for mine.

Found a link for the contact details for Newport
Clickable link

Michelle

Edited to add taxi info and to say:
The DSA can be reviewed aswell, so if you need something extra, it can be provided - when I first started the course, I managed on the bus, but had to start getting taxis. I spoke to my disability advisor, who contacted the LEA and they agreed to extend the funding.

[Jenny]

That's really valuable information, thank you ever so much for spending the time typing it out.

I will keep you all updated with how things are going.

Anyone else starting uni in Sept and considering DSA?

Any more stories of people who recieve it?

[haddy]

Hi I've also been in receipt of DSA for 2 years and would hace to have left uni with out it. Get similar sort of allowance to Michelle, except waiting to hear if they'll pay for petrol not taxis as my tax'e would be £40 a week and my allowance would be gone in 8 weeks and i have 46 weeks in uni per year (only 6 weeks hols per year )
I started uni and then started recieving DLA in my nd year when i took a major downturn in everything disability wise.

The student support services guy also helped me with my successful DLA claim (well after 4 attempts!) The uni itself aren't that helpful, because i am studying emdicine i am the first student who has problems with a disability nd uses a wheelchair i think in teh history of the college so i don't find them very supportive in organising things and exam etc. Other colleges who have disabled students more often are alot batter at support.

Any other Q's let me know
Angharad x

[mindsquatter]

Hi Haddy,
As far as I know, the travel allowance is unlimited (my fare is £38 a day, three times a week) the limit you've been put on (quick mental maths - £320?) seems obscenely low

Just checked, and the guidelines state "Reasonable spending on extra travel costs" - this is for extra travel costs you wouldn't have if you weren't disabled. (from "Bridging the Gap: a guide to the Disabled
Students' Allowances (DSAs) in higher education" Clickable Link page 12/13)

[haddy]

My budjet is set at £500 per year, which i stupid seeing i'm in 5 days a week 46 weeks a year (miss having long holidays) Sometimes i have togo back and forth twice a day so that why my maths is a bit squiff. Does everyone else have an unlimited travel allowance?

[Rachel1985]

Hi Jenny,

I get DSA, i'm about to graduate this summer (v.scary!) but I didn't realise I was enetitled to it until the 2nd semester of my 2nd year & i'd been really struggling up until then. So it's really good that you know in advance because it tends to take a while to have teh ACCESS centre appointment & have the recommendations implemented.

I got a laptop, with voice activated software, & a programme called "inspiration" which is to help with revising so you don't hav to rewrite stuff ove r& over to learn it it helps create v.visual mind maps - only useful if you think of things visually tho, otherwise you can be given dictaphones etc. I got given paper holders & a book chair & a writing slope. Also, an ergodynamic chair, which scarily cost more than the computer!
I also got a note taker, althoug this method didnt really work for me, so I don't use her anymore. I also get a £50 photocopying allowence, & £150 book allowence, a library assistance to help with carrying things & heavy books etc.

Recently my private physi wrote a letter saying the laptop is not helping my joint pain & recommending an ergodynamic laptop kit & various writing aids, so I had to speak to an assessor about them but it's gone well.

You're also enetitled to extra exam time, I get 25% extra plus breaks & sit my exams in a seperate room so I can move about if I need to. It's also really useful having the DSA if you need to get extra time for assignments etc because of your HMS being bad - gives your tutor something to go on.
Good luck!

[sandy34]

my son has now been dx with hms and he is really struggle in university.he his going to try for dsa but how does he go about it.
he has ticked the box on his loan application, so does he still get that aswell.
he has made an appopintment with the dr at his uni to let him know.
he is badly affected in his hand neck and shoulders,so as you can imagine the pain he is in when attending lectures and all the writing that goes with it.
any help please. sandy

[mindsquatter]

Hi Sandy,
When I applied, I ticked the box on the loan application form, and then the LEA sent out a set of forms for DSA.

Once they had the information from those forms, there was an appointment at an assessment centre to figure out exactly how I could be helped. This wasn't like a medical appointment, just a chat about what I struggle with, and suggestions on what could help.

The assessor sent off their recommendations to the LEA, who approved any equipment purchase or extra allowances for travel etc.

The equipment was delivered to me, and training was given where needed.

Oh, and I was still eligible for my Student loan ... DSA doesn't affect your entitlement at all.

I would stress this was my experience with my LEA, I can't vouch for how other authorities work, but I would imagine the process is fairly similar.

Hope this helps
Michelle

[Rachel1985]

Hi Sandy,
I suffer mainly in the same areas as your son.

You should contact the disability advisor of the uni he has applied to go to - Just [phone the uni main switchboard & ask to be put through to them, explain the situation. They can start the ball rolling & make an appointment at an ACCESS centre, where the assessments are carried out to see what your needs are & they'll show him different equpiment, he can try it out & see how he finds it etc. He could leave this til September & go & speak to the in person, but there's always a rush on then, so the more you can do before hand the better. Especially as it takes a while to get an appointment, and then for him to approve the report they write & wait to receive the equipment. I would say it's more important to do that than inform the uni medical centre. He can do that at the start of term, whereas I wouldn't have thought the doctor has any input into his assessment for DSA. Although from memory I had to get a medical note just to confirm what I had, where I was affected - I supplied a really short letter, about a paragraph long, from my GP at home, didn't have anything to do with the uni medical centre til I got up there.
Rachel

[Jenny]

I'm off for my needs assessment today! We shall see how it goes. Some people see my problems as really bad and others just tell me I'm doing ok and get on with it, so we shall see what I come accross today!