FOI: bereavement services

The request was successful.

Dear University of Greenwich,

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

Lucy Fincham, University of Greenwich

Dear Ms Coan and Ms Damon

In response to your request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000:

1. Do you offer special provisions for counselling services for students specific to bereavement?
We do not offer special provisions for counselling services for students specific to bereavement. All counsellors in the Student Wellbeing Counselling Service would work with this presenting issue.

2. Do you offer any support or counselling services for students?
Yes, we have a Counselling Service which is part of Student Wellbeing. In addition, we have a Mental Health team and Disability & Dyslexia team in Student Wellbeing.

3. Do you have an institution wide policy/guidance regarding caring for students following a bereavement?
This would be treated on a case-by-case basis - i.e. in consultation with the student concerned, their academic department and Student Wellbeing.

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?
The Counselling Service would support students with any form of bereavement or loss.

5. Can you tell me what special provision you have for offering extensions and academic breaks in study after a bereavement?
This would be treated on a case-by-case basis - i.e. in consultation with the student concerned, their academic department and Student Wellbeing.

6. How much money did you allocate to counselling and support services for bereavement per year (Jan 2016-Jan 2019)?
We do not hold this information.

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?
This information is not held.

If you are unhappy with this response, please detail your complaints in writing and send to the University Secretary, Peter Garrod, University of Greenwich, Park Row, London SE10 9LS ([email address]).

If you are still not happy with our response after this internal review has taken place, you also have a right of appeal to the Information Commissioner at: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF (www.ico.org.uk).

Yours sincerely

Lucy Fincham
Information Compliance Manager
University of Greenwich
Vice-Chancellor's Office
Old Royal Naval College
Park Row, Greenwich
London SE10 9LS

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