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3. Arranging a support worker in higher education
There is no single way in which disabled students get support workers in higher education, and the way in which you get your assistance will depend upon the institution you attend and what suits you best. However, it is recommended that where possible, students use support workers employed by the institution.
Some of the most common ways in which disabled students find support workers are listed below:
Support workers employed by institution
Many institutions have staff who are specifically employed to support individual disabled students. Support workers may either be current postgraduate students at the university, or employees contracted through an agency. In either case, the university or college will be the employer, rather than you as an individual. You can find out if your institution employs support workers by asking the Disability Adviser.
There are many advantages of using support workers who are employed by the institution. The institution takes responsibility for recruiting and managing the staff, and for paying them. If the support workers leave, are absent or are not suitable, the institution will make arrangements to replace them. If you choose to use support workers employed by the institution, it is important to ensure that arrangements are in place for reviewing if the service is working well and if any adjustments are needed. You can ask SAAS to pay DSA directly to your institution who will either provide a support worker for you or pay an agency to provide support for you on their behalf.
Case study
Emma is blind and requires the help of a reader on her accountancy course. Although she uses part of her DSA allowance to pay for a computer with screenreading software, she often needs the assistance of a reader to read the text of library books aloud. The university regularly employs postgraduate students as readers (as well as other kinds of support work) and therefore arranges for a postgraduate accountancy student to provide support for Emma. As Emma has asked SAAS to pay her DSA money directly to the university, the support worker provides a timesheet to the university who will then pay the support worker's wages directly. Once payment has been made, the university will then send an invoice to SAAS for reimbursement of the work undertaken.
Private agencies
Private agencies can be useful ways to get support workers. The agency takes on the responsibilities of being the employer, and they will usually fill any gaps, for instance if your usual support worker becomes ill or needs some time off. It is useful to make a written agreement with the agency about the assistance that they will provide, and then to discuss with them regularly about how the service is working. The Disability Adviser may be able to recommend a local agency that students have used in the past or an agency that has experience of working with people in an academic environment. DSA can be used to cover costs charged by an agency for arranging a support worker, for example administration or payroll charges.
If you use a private agency to get a support worker, you may wish to consider:
- What services the agency offers.
- What charges will be made? Will these all be covered by DSA?
- What is included in the price? For example, National Insurance contributions, travelling expenses.
- Does the agency have full employer's liability insurance?
- Does the agency work to a recognised code of practice? The Care Commission can give you further advice on this ( see the back of this booklet for contact details).
- Does the agency check for references and provide staff training?
As private agencies take on the responsibilities of being the employer, they will normally pay your support worker and handle any employment-related matters. You can either ask SAAS to pay your DSA directly to the agency or you can request that the money is given straight to you to allow you to pay the agency yourself. If you would like to receive the money yourself, you will need to provide an invoice and receipts for SAAS of the work undertaken.
Specialist agencies
If you need specialist workers such as sign language interpreters, it may not be possible to find suitable people at your institution. If this is the case, then you will probably need to use a specialist agency. The Disability Adviser may know of agencies in the local area and you could also contact the local social work department for information. Other organisations may keep registers of qualified people, such as Dyslexia Scotland who have a register of dyslexia tutors, or the Scottish Association of Sign Language Interpreters who keep a register of sign language interpreters. Contact details for some relevant organisations are in Section 8.
Deaf Connections is a charity based in Glasgow that can provide sign language interpreters, notetakers and lip speakers to Deaf and Hard of Hearing people. Many students use different kinds of assistants from this charity and the Disabled Students Allowance is then paid direct to Deaf Connections for the work undertaken. Contact details are in Section 8.
Community Service Volunteers ( CSV)
CSV is the national volunteer agency that recruits full-time volunteers to help disabled people live independently. CSVs are often recent graduates or are planning to go to college or university, so they have an interest in or experience of the education environment. CSVs are intended to supplement other support that you have in place. You may want to talk to the Disability Adviser to see if they already use CSVs for other students.
Institutions with volunteer schemes
Some institutions operate their own volunteer schemes for support workers such as notetakers or readers. The volunteers on these schemes are often students themselves, recent graduates or people planning to go to university. They will often have no previous experience but many receive some training when they join the scheme. The institution usually makes the initial arrangements with the volunteers so you do not have to, but you will want to have a written agreement to make sure you get the support that you need.
Employing your own support worker
By employing your own support worker, you get complete choice over who assists you. As the employer, you can also set the standards and procedures you want people to work to. You may already employ your own support workers for daily living needs through Direct Payments from social work - if so, employing your own support workers in education may fit well with these arrangements.
However, operating your own personal assistance involves a great deal of organisation and it is recommended that wherever possible, you use a support worker employed by the institution. If you choose to employ your own support workers, you will have to be able to explain your needs and be able to handle the responsibility of being an employer.
Sections 4-7 of this booklet have information about employing your own support worker.
Training
It is important that your support worker has appropriate training to enable them to carry out their role effectively. For example, they should undertake Health and Safety training in order for them to work safely within an institution. It may also be necessary for them to undertake specific disability related training. You may be placed at a disadvantage or risk if your support worker is not appropriately trained. DSA does not generally cover the cost of training, however in exceptional circumstances, DSA may be used to pay for training costs. You should contact your institution for advice on training support workers. Your local centre for integrated living will also be able to give you advice on training a support worker. If you choose to employ your own support worker, you should ensure they have undertaken appropriate training.
Disclosure Scotland certificates
Disclosure Scotland is a service designed to enhance public safety by providing potential employers and the voluntary sector with criminal history information on individuals applying for posts. Disclosure Scotland issues certificates - known as 'Disclosures' - which give details of an individual's criminal convictions or state that they have none.
When employing a support worker, it is recommended that you consider asking the worker to provide a Disclosure. You can get more information from Disclosure Scotland at www.disclosurescotland.co.uk and the Central Registered Body in Scotland at www.crbs.org.uk
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