The Disabled Students' Adviser / Disability Officer can offer support to students who have an ongoing mental health problem. Their role is not to offer therapy or counselling, but more of a problem-solving one. Although mental health problems may not seem to be a disability in the way that problems with mobility, hearing or vision are, they can benefit from a disability management approach. Such an approach will focus on two areas:
- support for the individual
- making changes in the academic environment
Support for the individual can vary from meeting up to talk through issues, provision of a computer to aid study skills, a note-taker for lectures, a support assistant to help the person get to lectures or negotiation with tutors over extending assessment deadlines. Changes in the academic environment might involve supporting the student in gaining quiet accommodation, negotiating a part-time study pattern or making arrangements to take examinations in a quiet room.
Information on students with disabilities, university provision for them and support services is co-ordinated by the institutions' Disability Staff:
Oxford Brookes Student Disability Service
The Disabled Students' Advisers are here to provide support, advice and information to current and prospective students of Oxford Brookes University. We will work with you to develop an individual support plan to meet your needs. We will also advise you about how the University systems can support students with disabilities.
Visit the web site.
Oxford University Disability Officer
The University's policies and further information can be found on Oxford University's web site.
Oxford & Cherwell Valley College
Support is available for people who have specific learning or physical difficulties. The Hearing Support Centre supports deaf and hearing impaired students on College courses.
Visit the college's web site for further information.
Ruskin College
Visit the College's web site for further information and links to student support handbooks.