FOI: bereavement services

The request was successful.

Dear Isle of Wight 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

Julie Cobb, Isle of Wight College

Good morning

We acknowledge receipt of your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

We are currently considering your request and will send you a response in due course.

Kind regards

Julie

Julie Cobb | PA to the Deputy & Assistant Principals and Clerk to Corporation | Isle of Wight College | [email address]| Direct dial: 01983 550775 | Switchboard: 01983 526631 x2415 | www.iwcollege.ac.uk

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Angela Hagan, Isle of Wight College

Dear Georgia Coan + Poppy Damon

Please find below our response to your freedom of information request:

* 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?
The college offers a range of support services for students, including students who have experienced a bereavement. This support is primarily provided through a team of student progress advisors (SPA) who provide pastoral support to students, including those who have suffered a bereavement. Where an SPA feels that a student would benefit from more intensive support, they refer the student to the college's head of safeguarding and student advocacy. The college also has a chaplain who works with students from all faiths and none, providing advice and support. Where more specialist support is needed, including bereavement counselling, a referral is made to an external agency. The college works closely with a range of partner organisations, including the Youth Trust which provides counselling support for young people, free of charge. If appropriate, the college will also support students to access support through their doctor's surgery. The college can also provide students with access to the NHS Silver Cloud, an online mental health support programme, based on cognitive behaviour techniques.

* Do you have an institution wide policy/guidance regarding caring for students following a bereavement? Y/N
The college does not have a specific policy regarding caring for students following a bereavement.

* 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 college would offer support to any student following a bereavement of someone close to them, regardless of the relationship the student had to the person who had passed away.

* Can you tell me what special provision you have for offering extensions and academic breaks in study after a bereavement?
The answer to this question depends upon the type of qualification the student is studying at the time of the bereavement, but in general the following principles apply:
Further education: the college would contact the appropriate awarding organisation on behalf of the student, to advise that the student has experienced a 'personal crisis', which covers bereavement. The college would liaise with the awarding organisation and the student to agree what special arrangements may be put in place.
Higher education via a university: if the student is studying a higher education programme through a partner university, the student must apply direct to the university for consideration of 'mitigating circumstances'. The college higher education team would support the student during this process.

* How much money did you allocate to counselling and support services for bereavement per year (Jan 2016-Jan 2019)?
As explained above, the college does not provide services specific to bereavement and therefore it is not possible to answer this question.

* 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?
No comment.

Kind regards
Angela

Angela Hagan | Executive Assistant to the Principal | The Isle of Wight College | [email address] |Direct dial: 01983 550590 | Switchboard: 01983 526631 x2230 | www.iwcollege.ac.uk

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