The Wellbeing and Disability Team is here to help students access the support you need while studying at LIPA. The best time to contact us is before you start your course. We encourage students to speak to us to discuss support needs they may have and identify the range of support available. By contacting the team before you arrive at LIPA, we can arrange to meet with you to discuss your needs early in the term.
If you disclose a disability on application or enrolment, we will contact you during the autumn term to introduce you to the team and to discuss your support needs.
You can make an appointment to meet with our Student Disability Officer to discuss your support requirements. This may be based on support that you have accessed for previous studies, or changes to your support needs. If you have a disability or medical condition, you will be asked to provide medical evidence, current educational support/access arrangements documents or a diagnostic report. The team will explain how to apply for Disabled Students’ Allowances, which can fund support provision for UK students. All students are welcome to contact the service at any point in their studies to discuss support.
You do not need to disclose a disability. However, if any disability or health condition is likely to impact your learning then we would encourage you to inform us. This will ensure that the appropriate support or ‘reasonable adjustments’ are implemented to reduce barriers to learning you may face due to disability or a specific learning difference (SpLD).
Accessing Support
To arrange an appointment with the Disability Officer, please complete our self-referral form
Disability Support
The following sections outline some of the key support channels available to you. You can find further information and signposting for disability support on the Wellbeing and Disability Resource Hub
Reasonable Adjustments
'Reasonable Adjustments’ are changes made to standard learning practices to accommodate for any specific learning needs and to remove barriers to learning to ensure that students are not disadvantaged due to a disability.
LIPA will endeavour to support students effectively by considering reasonable requests for adjustments on an individual basis. This may include exam concessions, extensions on library loans, the opportunity to record teaching sessions, and access to course materials prior to sessions where possible.
Student Support Documents (SSDs)
SSDs for disabled students are written by the Disability Officer in collaboration with you the student. The documents contain information about how your disability may impact on your learning. This, with your consent, is shared with teaching staff to make them aware of recommended reasonable adjustments (e.g. exam concessions) and to ensure they understand your specific needs. The documents are confidentially stored and only shared with relevant staff.
Students must provide evidence of their disability for our records before SSDs can be shared with teaching staff.
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
DSA is government funding, provided through UK Student Finance bodies, that covers the cost of support provision in Higher Education. It is available to students on degree and post graduate courses. It is not a loan, and you will not be required to pay anything back.
To apply for DSA, you must provide your student finance body with evidence of your disability. The Student Wellbeing and Disability Service can provide advice and guidance on the application process, including what evidence meets the DSA criteria. Once you have been allocated DSA, it is your responsibility to implement and arrange the support.
Assessments
If you suspect you may have a Specific Learning Difference (SpLD) such as dyslexia, you can approach the Student Wellbeing and Disability Service for an informal discussion and potentially some screening. The Disability Officer can assess whether you would benefit from a diagnostic assessment. For UK students on degree courses, a diagnosis would allow you to apply for DSA for specific 1-1 study skills support.
We recommend that you visit your GP if you feel you would benefit from an ADHD or Autism assessment. LIPA is unable fund diagnostic assessments for ADHD and/or Autism and we cannot recommend individual practitioners or contribute to the cost of private assessments.
Wellbeing and Mental Health
If you have a disability, medical condition, or specific learning difference which is impacting on your wellbeing and/or mental health, the Student Wellbeing Team is here to support you. Make a self-referral so we can explore your needs.
You don’t need to disclose a mental health issue while you are studying at LIPA, but if you have a diagnosed mental health condition, we strongly encourage you to inform and engage with the team for support, such as applying for Disabled Students Allowance.
Support for International Students
International students cannot apply for DSA, however, the Disability Officer will meet with students to discuss their needs whilst studying with us so that they can be addressed effectively.
LIPA Learning Resource Centre (LRC)
All students can visit the LRC for general study skills support and advice on essay writing, referencing and researching.
English as a Second Language (ESOL) classes
Students who speak English as a second or other language can access free ESOL classes at LIPA. These can either be delivered in person or online, one to one or in a group. You can request support and join the group throughout the academic year. The classes are open groups that people can join and leave whenever they want to.
To access the classes, please contact the Head of Student Wellbeing and Disability at wellbeing.disability@lipa.ac.uk