Support for students with disabilities or long-term health conditions

If you have a disability, Specific Learning Difficulty, long term medical condition (including mental health difficulties), or developmental difference (such as ADHD or an Autism Spectrum Condition) please register with the Disability Advisory Service (DAS) so they can advise, support and plan for any additional support needed.

DAS may be able to provide study-related support in the following ways:

Liaise with your Department/Schools/Hubs on reasonable adjustments, including extensions to deadlines and alternative modes of assessment where appropriate (and with your consent).
Provide information on funding for study support, including the Disabled Students Allowances and how to apply.
Arrange disability related study support where appropriate, such as mentors and specialist study skills.
Assess the impact of your disability on your studies and recommend any reasonable adjustments you may need
Liaise with the Exams Office to put special exam arrangements in place where needed
Refer and signpost you to other services where this would be helpful

For further advice, please see our Frequently Asked Questions below:

I normally receive additional support with my studies. How does this work in 2020/21?

Support workers such as notetakers, academic and social mentors, Specialist Mentors and 1-1 tutors will still work remotely to support your studies. If you need this type of support, please ensure you have applied for Disabled Students Allowances) and registered with the Disability Advisory Service.

The Disability Advisory Service will make recommendations about extra time in exams, where appropriate, and on provision of medical evidence or a diagnostic report of Specific Learning Difficulties or Autisic Spectrum Condition. Find out more about the range of support and adjustments you could access, or arrange to discuss your needs with your Disability Adviser through our website.

I have a hearing impairment and I am concerned about not understanding what people say when they are wearing a face covering. What support is there for me?

All legal requirements about wearing face coverings apply on campus and, in line with government guidance, you are expected to wear a face covering where social distancing is difficult to maintain. As the purpose of face covering is to protect other people, you may wish to indicate that you are having difficulties understanding and ask the person to temporarily remove their face covering while you keep your distance. You may also consider wearing one of our hidden disabilities sunflower lanyards (see below).

Our teaching staff will have the option to wear a clear face visor, while also maintaining a 2 metre distance as much as possible, to make communication easier. Other student-facing staff (for example, those working on the Carrington and Support Centre enquiries desks) will be located behind perspex screens, but these should not affect sound.

What is the ‘hidden disabilities’ sunflower lanyard and should I consider wearing one?

The sunflower lanyard gives people the opportunity to self-identify as having a hidden disability. This could include (but is not restricted to) those with hearing, speech or visual impairments, anxiety disorders, PTSD, Autistic Spectrum Conditions, diabetes, asthma or other respiratory diseases and a wide range of medical conditions.

Traditionally the sunflower lanyard has been used to signify that you may need additional support, but at the present time, some people who have medical conditions that mean they are exempt from wearing face coverings may choose to wear a sunflower lanyard to indicate this. Whether or not you choose to wear a sunflower lanyard is your choice, but if you would like one, you can pick one up free of charge at the Reception desks at Support Centres and the Carrington Building Reception.

To find out more, take a look at our page dedicated to the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.