FOI: bereavement services
Dear Coventry University,
I am e-mailing to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
If you have any questions or need clarification to complete my request, I would be grateful if you could contact me prior to the deadline of 20 working days from receiving my request.
I’m looking for information regarding the bereavement services which are available in your university or college. Please could you answer the following:
+Do you offer special provisions for counselling services for students specific to bereavement? Y/N
+Do you offer any support or counselling services for students? Y/N
+Do you have an institution wide policy/guidance regarding caring for students following a bereavement? Y/N
+Do your policies or practices exclusively relate to support for students who have lost parents or does your support factor in other forms of bereavement, such as losing a sibling?
+Can you tell me what special provision you have for offering extensions and academic breaks in study after a bereavement?
+How much money did you allocate to counselling and support services for bereavement per year (Jan 2016-Jan 2019)?
+If you feel you would like to offer an opinion, would you say your institution feels you are offered enough from the Government in order to support students who have experienced bereavement while studying?
I understand that under the Act, I should be entitled to a response within 20 working days. I would be grateful if you could confirm via e-mail that you have received this request.
Regards,
Georgia Coan + Poppy Damon
[Number Removed]
Yours faithfully,
Poppy Damon
Dear Damon,
REF: FOIA0972
Please accept this email as acknowledgment that the University has received your Freedom of Information request asking about the above topic.
A copy of your request is below.
The request will be handled under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, which means that you can expect to receive a response from us within 20 working days or by 31st July 2019.
Yours sincerely,
Principal Registry Officer - Data Compliance|Information Governance Unit
Coventry University, Alan Berry Building, Priory Street, Coventry, CV1 5FB
The contents of this e-mail and any attachments are confidential to the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient please do not use or publish its contents, contact Coventry University immediately on +44 (0)24 7765 7777 then delete. Contracts cannot be concluded with us nor service effected by email. Emails are not secure and may contain viruses. Coventry University may monitor traffic data. Further information about us is available at www.coventry.ac.uk
Dear Ms Damon,
Ref: FOIA0972
Please find below responses in red to the Freedom of Information request
you made to the University in respect of the bereavement services we offer
to students.
1. Do you offer special provisions for counselling services for
students, specific to bereavement? Y/N
Y
2. Do you offer any support or counselling services for students?
Y/N
Y
3. Do you have an institution wide policy/guidance regarding caring
for students following bereavement? Y/N
Y
4. Do your policies or practices exclusively relate to support for
students who have lost parents or does your support factor in other forms
of bereavement, such as losing a sibling?
The University offers support to students who have encountered any type of
bereavement and each case is managed in agreement between the individual
student and the counsellor.
5. Can you tell me what special provision you have for offering
extensions and academic breaks in study after a bereavement?
Bereavement is accepted as a form of extenuating circumstances under the
University’s Extension and Deferrals procedure. Extensions allow students
additional time to complete coursework up to two weeks from the deadline.
Deferrals allow students to delay submission of coursework, sitting an
examination or the entire module until the next assessment opportunity.
Students may also apply for a temporary withdrawal to interrupt their
studies for longer periods of time without financial penalty.
6. How much money did you allocate to counselling and support
services for bereavement per year (Jan 2016-Jan 2019)?
This information is not held by the University. The support services are
offered through various mechanisms, the sum of which cannot be quantified.
7. If you feel you would like to offer an opinion, would you say
your institution feels you are offered enough from the Government in order
to support students who have experienced bereavement while studying?
The University does not wish to offer an opinion.
If you have any queries or concerns in regards to this matter then please
do not hesitate to contact me, however please remember to quote the
reference number above in any future communications.
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision,
you should write to the Information Governance Unit, Coventry University,
Alan Berry Building, Priory Street, Coventry, CV1 5FB or e-mail:
[1][Coventry University request email].
If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint or review, you
may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision.
Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the
complaints procedure provided by the University. The Information
Commissioner can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF, Telephone: 08456 30 60 60 or 01625 54 57 45, Email:
[2][email address]
Kind regards,
Humaira
Humaira Shahzad
Principal Registry Officer (Compliance, Risk and Data Subject Services)
Information Governance Unit, Coventry University
ABG15, Alan Berry Building
E-mail: [3][email address]
Phone: 02477652550
[mobile number]
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