Practical Sensory can offer support to vision impaired students attending University in the Midlands.  Mobility and orientation training and in some cases Independent Living skills can be available,  but these are chargeable.  If you are in receipt of Disabled Student allowance (DSA) you may be able to claim the cost of mobility training through SFE.

 

Claiming DSA

Make your Claim though Student Finance England (SFE) or Wales. Make your claim early and make sure your assessor includes everything that you might need. According to the Gov.uk website (https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowance-dsa/how-to-claim) it can take 14 weeks to get your support in place.  Mobility training is classed as Non Medical Help (NMH) and can provide support for learning routes to and from University and around the Campus.  You may also be able to claim for support from a Sighted Guide which can be helpful while you are still learning routes. Very occasionally your local authority will fund additional training to cover independent living skills or leisure routes,  but you may have to fund these yourself.

Disability Rights UK produce a fact sheet https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/applying-disabled-students%E2%80%99-allowances-dsas  and also have a student helpline  0330 995 0414.

Thomas Pocklington Trust offers specialist advice and support for Students with vision impairments applying for DSA.

There is information on their website https://www.pocklington-trust.org.uk/student-support/  or you can email studentsupport@pocklington-trust.org.uk  or call  their student support line on 0203 757 8040. The line is manned every Tuesday and Wednesday between 10am and 4pm,  but leave a message in between those times and someone will get back to you.

Once you have been assessed, you should receive a confirmation letter (DSA 2) from SFE stating what they will fund and who will supply it, together with telephone numbers for you to contact the supplier/provider. Although providers are often chosen on the basis of cost, you can request a particular provider.

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How can Practical Sensory help?

If your University is in the West Midlands,  or in some parts of the East Midlands, Practical Sensory may able to offer mobility training.

You can share this information with your DSA needs Assessor or contact us directly. Click on the image to download the information.

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