Disability Support Office (DSO)
The DSO provides a wide range of support for University of Manchester students and, whenever possible, will meet students individually to discuss appropriate support.
Mental health conditions are legally classed as a disability if they have a significant impact on a person’s day-to-day functioning, and have lasted or are expected to last for more than 12 months.
The service is confidential and students can choose a level of disclosure that suits them when they register with the DSO.
If a student gives us consent to share information as appropriate, we can ensure that academic and clerical staff are aware of their support requirements and, if the student agrees, the nature of their condition (we can put support in place without sharing this information).
Some students, at least at first, ask that the DSO does not share any of their information with the rest of the University. They are made aware that the wider University cannot support them in this case, but the DSO can arrange personal support for them. Some students choose to disclose to certain named individuals in the wider University. This can be helpful as it allows the DSO to discuss potential support and ‘reasonable adjustments’ with these members of staff. We often find that, once a student has gained confidence in the DSO and the way we operate, they are happy to increase their disclosure level in order to receive more support.
Examples of DSO Support
- Signposting
The DSO can ensure that the student is aware of support services inside and outside of the University that they may find useful, eg. the Counselling Service, Student Occupational Health, the Student Guidance Service, as well as finding a GP, Nightline, the Student Union welfare officer. Many students in financial difficulties also find information on the Access to Learning Fund (ALF) very useful.
- Advocacy
The DSO can liaise with these services to ensure the student’s support is being managed appropriately, and can accompany the student to meetings they may find intimidating.
- Arranging practical support - Institutional/University Support
Ensuring that the student’s academic school is aware that they may have difficulty in attending or meeting deadlines; Different schools and courses (especially professional courses) will have different regulations in these areas but it can mean, for instance, that the student is only required to provide medical evidence once in their university career. The DSO can also ask the school Disability Co-ordinator to meet with the student regularly or act as a central point of contact, so making the school more ‘manageable’ for the student.
Handouts and slides; in advance of lectures, this allows the student to prepare for sessions, and reduces the pressure on their note-taking during a lecture if they are experiencing fatigue or concentration difficulties. It can also make the session less intimidating if the student is aware of the basic context of the lecture before they attend.
Clear and guided reading lists; this can enable the student to quickly identify the most relevant texts, articles and chapters so they can make the best use of the time when they have good concentration and motivation.
Presentations; the DSO can recommend that academic staff ensure that students with anxiety are given adequate notice of presentations. We can recommend that academic staff discuss the presentation discreetly with the student beforehand and, in some cases, academics have arranged for students to present in less challenging circumstances or, occasionally, to be assessed in a different way.
- Arranging practical support - Funded support
The DSO will identify what funding the student can apply for to pay for equipment, support workers and other costs they incur as a disabled student. Often this is Disabled Students Allowances (DSA)
Digital recorder; as well as removing pressure on note-taking ‘live’ in the lecture, this also allows the student to save a sound file to be listened to at a later date – e.g. shortly before exams
Mind-mapping software; students who are daunted by planning assignments and reports often find that this visual, intuitive software can help them to get started and to ensure that they produce structure, fluent work.
Study Coaches; many students find that a weekly meeting with a study coach helps them to stay on track with their studies, reducing procrastination and subsequently becoming over-whelmed. Study coaches do not provide subject-specific support but work with students on structure, time-management and achievable, short-term goals.
Travel costs; if a student is unable to use public transport to get to university (either every day or on ‘bad days’) funding can be made available to fund the difference between the cost of a taxi and the cost of public transport
Accessing the DSO
You can contact the DSO directly on:
Tel: 0161 275 7512/8518
Email: dso@manchester.ac.uk
Text: 07899 663 512
Fax: 0161 275 7018
The opening hours are:
Monday - Thursday: 9.30am - 4pm
Friday - 9.30am - 12.30pm
Location
DSO
Second Floor, University Place
University of Manchester
Oxford Road
Manchester, M13 9PL