Disability Support

Who can access support? 

Many students may not realise that they are entitled to support from the Disability Advisory Service.  A person is considered to have a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial (‘more than minor or trivial’) and long-term (lasting or likely to last 12 months or more) adverse effect on their ability to do normal daily activities as per the Equality Act (2010) criteria.  

This includes students with, for example:

• A sensory impairment such as those affecting sight or hearing
• A mobility impairment
• A musculoskeletal condition such as arthritis
• A long-term health condition including those of a fluctuating or progressive nature
• A long-term mental health condition such as depression or an eating disorder
• A specific learning difficulty (SpLD) such as dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD
• A social or communication difficulty such as an autism spectrum condition
• Some conditions like Cancer, HIV and Multiple Sclerosis are included immediately from initial diagnosis. Study activities, including examinations, fall under daily activities.

The Disability Advisory Service is not able to support students with temporary illnesses or injuries, or conditions which fall outside the Equality Act (2010) definition of a disability. For issues relating to short-term, temporary illness or injury, you may contact the Disability Co-ordinator and the college doctor for advice on interim support.