FOI: bereavement services

Poppy Damon made this Freedom of Information request to St Vincent College as part of a batch sent to 499 authorities This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was successful.

Poppy Damon
Delivered

Dear St Vincent 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

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Sue Moss, St Vincent College

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Good afternoon Poppy

 

Please see below the responses to your questions.

 

Regards

 

Sue

 

 

 

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

 

1)Do you offer special provisions for counselling services for students? 
Not directly-   We signpost and support them to access  registered
charities or NHS services.

 

2)specific to bereavement - Do you offer any support or counselling
services for students? Yes- We have a strong student support service that
support students MHWB and studies.

 

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

Safeguarding policies address students who have lost family or friends due
to suicide and Welfare are notified if a student has been bereaved.

 

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?    Any student that has been
affected by bereavement is referred to Welfare

 

5)Can you tell me what special provision you have for offering extensions
and academic breaks in study after a bereavement?    Support for student
is person centred and the Mental health and Wellbeing of the student is
Paramount. The college works with Heads of School, Welfare student and the
family to identify support needs.

 

6)How much money did you allocate to counselling and support services for
bereavement per year (Jan 2016-Jan 2019)?  NHS and registered counselling
services  work with the college so from 2017/2018 the services have been
free; However, there are waiting lists and services can be restricted to 6
sessions

 

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?

Funding  the college to directly engage a counsellor for a student when
needed would avoid waiting lists and support timely intervention. 
Bereavement mentoring training for support staff and bereavement awareness
training for teaching staff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Karen Murray-Gow

Welfare Officer,Mental Health & Wellbeing Lead,Safeguarding Dep.

 

St Vincent College

Mill Lane, Gosport, PO12 4QA

Direct line: 02392 603 583

Reception: 02392 588 311

Email: [1][email address]

Web: [2]www.stvincent.ac.uk

 

 

 

 

Sue Moss

Senior Staff PA

St Vincent College

Mill Lane, Gosport, PO12 4QA

Direct line: 02392 603 545

Reception: 02392 588 311

Email: [email address]

Web: www.stvincent.ac.uk

[3][IMG] [4][IMG]  [5][IMG]

Part of the Lighthouse Learning Trust, an exempt
charity and company limited by guarantee.
Company registration number: 10819176.

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