FOI: bereavement services
Dear Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College,
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 Poppy,
Thank you for you email. Your request is being processed and someone will
be in touch shortly.
Warm regards,
Katharine Field
West London College |
Hammersmith & Fulham College | Gliddon Road | London W14 9BL |
Contact me | [1][EHWLC request email] | 020 8741 1688 | [2]wlc.ac.uk |
Follow us | [3]@westlondoncol | [4]@EHWLCommercial | [5]fb westlondoncol |
Dear Poppy Damon,
In response to your Freedom of Information request dated 03/07/2019, I can
provide the information as follows:
Do you offer special provisions for counselling services for students
specific to bereavement?
No.
Do you offer any support or counselling services for students?
Yes.
Do you have an institution wide policy/guidance regarding caring for
students following a bereavement?
No, however we will look at this as a result of this FOI request as the
college sees it as a very important issue.
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?
No, our policy provides a support and wellbeing service which operates
generically, which would help students who are experiencing loss and
grief.
Can you tell me what special provision you have for offering extensions
and academic breaks in study after a bereavement?
A student who has experienced a bereavement will be offered flexibility
according to their programme of study, which would include assessment
extensions or a break from study, depending on their individual
circumstances. Grief after loss is a very individual process and we would
treat this as such, according to the student's needs.
How much money did you allocate to counselling and support services for
bereavement per year (Jan 2016-Jan 2019)?
We provide a generic wellbeing service delivered by Hammersmith and Fulham
Mind, which is available every day for students. This service costs approx
£40k per annum.
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?
We are offered a range of funds and discretionary funds for supporting
students. There is no dedicated government funding for bereavement,
however we would deal with this on a case by case basis with our available
funds for any student who has experienced traumatic loss, such as a
parent, sibling, partner.
Katharine Field
On behalf of Anil Nagpal, COO.
West London College |
Hammersmith & Fulham College | Gliddon Road | London W14 9BL |
Contact me | [1][EHWLC request email] | 020 8741 1688 | [2]wlc.ac.uk |
Follow us | [3]@westlondoncol | [4]@EHWLCommercial | [5]fb westlondoncol |
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