FOI: bereavement services

The request was successful.

Dear University of Gloucestershire,

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

Freedom of Information, University of Gloucestershire

Dear Poppy,

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your request for information received on 03 July 2019.

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), we anticipate to respond to your request for information within 20 working days, subject to the information not being exempt or containing a reference to a third party.

For your information, the Act defines a number of exemptions that may prevent release of the information you have requested. There will be an assessment and if any of the exemption categories apply then the information will not be released. You will be informed if this is the case.

If the information you request contains reference to a third party then they may be consulted prior to a decision being taken on whether or not to release the information to you. You will be informed if this is the case.

If we are unable to respond within the timescale outlined in the FOIA, we will contact you to discuss an extension to time.

If you have any queries regarding this information, then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

Ruth Neal
--
Ruth Neal
Information Governance Manager
^University of Gloucestershire
Governance and Secretariat Services
The Park, Cheltenham, GL50 2RH

Tel: 01242 714140
E-mail: [email address]
Web: www.glos.ac.uk

show quoted sections

Freedom of Information, University of Gloucestershire

6 Attachments

Dear Poppy,

 

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Information Request

 

Thank you for your request for information from the University of
Gloucestershire received on 03 July 2019.

Your request is being handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
(FOIA). 

Please find below The University’s response to your 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?

I can confirm that the University of Gloucestershire does not offer
special provisions for counselling services for students specific to
bereavement but does offer general counselling which covers bereavement. 
The University will be offering group sessions on loss / bereavement this
next academic year 2019-20.

Do you offer any support or counselling services for students?

Yes, the University has an in-house counselling service available to all
students (1:1 sessions, daily drop-ins and group workshops).

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

The University does not have a specific policy but it is covered by our
mitigating circumstances procedures and practice of our Personal Tutors
and Helpzone Advisors.

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?

Our practices relate to any loss of close relative or friend.

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

All students are able to request extensions based on mitigating
circumstances (of which bereavement of a close relative or friend is a
part).

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

The University does not hold this information.  Finances are not broken
down on the type of issue which the student presents with.

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?

The University does not hold this information.  The FOIA provides the
public the right to request any recorded information held by a public
authority.  It does not relate to an opinion or judgement that is not
already recorded. 

If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can request a review, no later than 40 working days from the
date of this response by contacting the University by email at: 

[1][email address]

or by post to:

Registrar’s Directorate
University of Gloucestershire
Fullwood House
Park Campus
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL50 2RH

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint,
you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at: 

The Information Commissioner's Office,

Wycliffe House,

Water Lane,

Wilmslow,

Cheshire, SK9 5AF. 

Telephone: 08456 30 60 60 or 01625 54 57 45            

Website: [2]www.ico.gov.uk   

There is no charge for making an appeal. 

If you have any questions regarding this information, then please do not
hesitate to contact me. 

Yours sincerely

 

R Neal

--

Ruth Neal

Information Governance Manager

^University of Gloucestershire

Governance and Secretariat Services

The Park, Cheltenham, GL50 2RH

 

Tel: 01242 714140

 

E-mail: [email address]

Web: [3]www.glos.ac.uk

 

 

[4]Description: Description: Description:
FB-f-Logo__blue_1024[5]Description: Description: twitter logo 2
resized [6]Description: Description: Description: YouTube
logo [7]Description: Description: Description: LinkedIn
logo [8]Description: Description: Description: Flickr logo

 

 

 

 

[9]UoG2019EmailSignature

 

 

 

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.ico.gov.uk/
3. http://www.glos.ac.uk/
4. http://www.facebook.com/uniofglos
5. http://twitter.com/uniofglos
6. http://www.youtube.com/universityofglos#...
7. http://www.linkedin.com/companies/22278
8. http://www.flickr.com/uniofglos
9. http://www.glos.ac.uk/