FOI: bereavement services

The request was successful.

Dear Darwin College, Cambridge,

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

John Dix,

Dear Ms Damon

I refer to your Freedom of Information request of 3 July and reply as
follows.

+Do you offer special provisions for counselling services for students
specific to bereavement?

Yes, we have an in-house Counsellor who can refer students to specialist
bereavement services at the University Counselling Service and elsewhere
(please see below).

+Do you offer any support or counselling services for students?

Yes, we have an in-house Counsellor.

+Do you have an institution wide policy/guidance regarding caring for
students following a bereavement?

The University Counselling Service offers extensive information and
support for students suffering bereavement.  Further details here:

/www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/selfhelp/newselhe/bereav

+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?

There is specific information on the University Counselling Service’s
website (above) on When Parents Die and Sibling Bereavement - Helping
Children Cope with Loss.

+Can you tell me what special provision you have for offering extensions
and academic breaks in study after a bereavement?

We have supported a number of students requiring extensions and academic
breaks following bereavement or during a period of family illness.  This
has involved financial support as well as pastoral support.

+How much money did you allocate to counselling and support services for
bereavement per year (Jan 2016-Jan 2019)?

Our in-house counseling provision costs £10,000 per annum and the College
also contributes to the cost of the University Counselling Service.

+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?

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 this decision,
you should write to the Dean, Darwin College, Cambridge CB3 9EU who will
then assign an appropriate person to conduct the internal review.  - If
subsequently you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you
may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision.
Generally, the Information Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you
have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the College.  The
Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information
Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9
5AF.

Yours sincerely

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John Dix
Bursar, Darwin College, Cambridge, CB3 9EU

01223 335664

[5]www.darwin.cam.ac.uk
Registered Charity Number: 1141105
[6]https://www.darwin.cam.ac.uk/sites/all/t...

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