Dear Georgia Coan and Poppy Damon

Our Ref: 026/19

We are in receipt of your request for information under the Freedom of
Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and will respond by 31 July 2019.  

Kind regards

FOI Team

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Dear Georgia Coan and Poppy Damon

Our Ref: 026/19

As of 1 October 2012, Edinburgh’s Telford College, Jewel & Esk College and
Stevenson College merged to create a single college called Edinburgh
College.

We refer to your request for information dated 03 July 2019. The College
has considered your request as a request for information under section 1
of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (“FOISA”).

I’m looking for information regarding the bereavement services which are
available in your university or college. Please could you answer the
following:

026/19 (1): Do you offer special provisions for counselling services for
students specific to bereavement? Y/N No

026/19 (2): Do you offer any support or counselling services for students?
Y/N Yes

The College employs a Student Wellbeing Adviser whose role is to work with
students individually and in groups to manage their mental health and
wellbeing using a variety of approaches.

Support is also available to students through campus-based Learning
Support teams, Learning Development Tutors (LDTs) and Students’
Association staff, who provide mental health support to students as part
of their wider role.

LDTs and Learning Support staff offer solution focused and recovery based
approaches based on WRAP (Wellbeing Recovery Action Planning) resources,
signposting to web based resources and referral to the Wellbeing Adviser.

The college’s LDTs and Learning Support teams include members of staff
with training and qualifications in counselling skills and other mental
health approaches.

The Student Mental Health & Wellbeing Policy is available online:
[1]http://doc.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/welcom...

026/19 (3): Do you have an institution  wide policy/guidance regarding
caring for students following a bereavement? Y/N No. Please refer to
026/19 (2) which details the support provided by the College.

026/19 (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? No

026/19 (5): Can you tell me what special provision you have for offering
extensions and academic breaks in study after a bereavement? These are
managed on a case by case basis and extensions or breaks may be granted.
Please refer to Appendix 2 ‘Fitness to continue study guidance’ in the
Student Mental Health & Wellbeing Policy (link provided above in response
to 026/19 (2)).

026/19 (6): How much money did you allocate to counselling and support
services for bereavement per year (Jan 2016-Jan 2019)? N/A

026/19 (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? N/A

Edinburgh College is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of
Information (Scotland) Act (FOISA) 2002. If you are dissatisfied with this
response, you may ask the college to review this decision. To do this,
please contact the Head of Communications, Policy and Research at the
postal address below or e-mail the Head of Communications, Policy and
Research at [2][email address] describing your original
request and explaining your grounds for dissatisfaction. (Please include
in your review request, your name and home address for correspondence).

You have 40 working days from receipt of this letter to submit a review
request to:

Head of Communications, Policy and Research

4th Floor

Edinburgh College (Milton Road Campus)

[3]24 Milton Road East

Edinburgh

EH15 2PP

When the review process has been completed and if you are still
dissatisfied, you may ask the Scottish Information Commissioner to
intervene.

The Commissioner’s online appeal service is available from their website:
[4]www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal

The  online appeal service is available 24/7 and offers you real time help
and advice about your appeal.

You must appeal to the Commissioner within six months of receiving the
review decision.

You also have the right to appeal to the Court of Session on a point of
law following a decision of the Commissioner.

Regards

FOI Team

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