Fund for Students with Disabilities What is the Fund for Students - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Fund for Students with Disabilities

What is the Fund for Students with Disabilities?

• Established in 1994, Third Level Access

Measure

• Managed by the HEA on behalf of DES
• Operates in addition to framework of rights &

mainstream services

• €10.5m allocated to 12k students in 2016-17

• Full-time students in further & higher education
• Apply to Access/Disability Service
• Assessment of Need
• Institutional claim to HEA

Who can apply and how?

Types of Costs Covered

 Personal Assistance  Learning Support  Transport  Assistive Technology

Framework of Goals & Actions Action to Review FSD National Targets

Review Process

• Terms of Reference
• E-tender Process
• RSM UK Consultants
• Steering Committee
• Research, consultation, engagement

Main Findings

FSD is a valuable support for students Significant increases and changes in demand Resource intensive for HEIs and HEA Change is required to improve the Fund

Recommendations

14 recommendations including:

• New allocation model
• Part-time Students
• Increase funding
• Transfer FE element to Solas
• ‘Whole of Institution’ approaches to support
• Disability Passport

Next Steps

Implementation group early 2018 Work on new allocation model started Mid-term review of National Access Plan

Thank you

www.hea.ie access@hea.ie @HEAaccess