My Disabled Student Allowance application was put on hold but i dont understand why

I received a letter for the SFE (Student Finance England) early in June about my application for Disabled student allowance (DSA) which it stated that they require further information. I'm just now focusing on it as my exams have just finished
For this, i am unsure what they mean as i sent them a full report made by a Chartered Educational Psychologist which officially diagnosed me with dyspraxia.
He tested me in September when i was 17 years old. The exact wording of a certain part of the letter was:
"We've unable to accept your medical evidence for dyspraxia because the report you've provided has not been written to the 2005 SADC guidelines as it does not contain any of the tests we require.
Evidence of dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties:
For dyslexia or other learning difficulties we require a full diagnostic report which:
Has been carried out after the age of 16.
Has been carried out by a practitioner psychologist or suitably qualified specialist teacher holding a current assessment practising certificate."

Any help please? what do they want?

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 1

claireestelle

I would phone them as if the psychologist that tested you is accredited they should till take it (i m dyspraxic myself and used an ed psych for my dsa with sfw and nhs dsa), the only possibilty is that they wrote a short form report and so sfe dont think it is detailed enough, which tests were used when they diagnosed you? .

Reply 2

claireestelle

have you ever seen an ot? there's a possibility they could accept something written from them.

Reply 3

Velocity_

Original post by claireestelle

I'm about to email them about it asking what the issue could be. The report was extremely detailed (trust me, i read it and it has all sorts of tests and results and analysis in it) so the detail shouldnt be the issue. I was tested separately by Senco at school for AQA and OCR to accept extra time and a laptop for me. These tests were more like writing speeds v typing; spelling tests; recognition of things.
The psychologist test was 5/6 hours long with mental tests and verbal tests and writing tasks.

Reply 4

claireestelle

Original post by Velocity_

sounds like its just sfe being stupid. That amount of testing sounds like exactly what i had to do with the ed psych so there shouldn't be any problem in the detail of the report and the results you have.

I think this is the guideline that they were talking about on the letter they sent
http://www.sasc.org.uk/(S(2j2***45af3c3qafusymmw45))/SASCDocuments/SpLD_Working_Group_2005-DfES_Guidelines.pdf.

On page 9 it has a suitable test list, maybe compare whats written there to your report? oh and page 14 has specific test names that they will accept under those guidelines so check your report includes them.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 5

Velocity_

Original post by claireestelle

Yea my assessment seems to follow what the guidelines state. I'll email them but im not too sure what to say though. This is my first time having to do all this. Thanks btw, very helpful

Reply 6

claireestelle

Original post by Velocity_

Yea my assessment seems to follow what the guidelines state. I'll email them but im not too sure what to say though. This is my first time having to do all this. Thanks btw, very helpful

you can say something like having read my report myself i can confirm having consulted the guidelines that it meets the guidelines that you have stated so could you please confirm what you feel it does not meet? or something along those lines, i m pretty bad at formal writing

Reply 7

emmmmmmaxx

I'd also get in touch with the disability team at your university to see if there's anything they can do :smile:

Reply 8

Velocity_

Original post by emmmmmmaxx

I'd also get in touch with the disability team at your university to see if there's anything they can do :smile:

I don't go to university yet. I applied this year and hopefully I'll get in. But I'm currently on summer holiday so I don't go to university just yet.

Reply 9

emmmmmmaxx

Original post by Velocity_

I don't go to university yet. I applied this year and hopefully I'll get in. But I'm currently on summer holiday so I don't go to university just yet.

That's okay! Your in the same situation as me as in I start in September, but when I was sorting my DSA out the team at my firm choice were really helpful, so may be able to help

Reply 10

Velocity_

Original post by emmmmmmaxx

That's okay! Your in the same situation as me as in I start in September, but when I was sorting my DSA out the team at my firm choice were really helpful, so may be able to help

Oh really? What did you ask them? I think I'll do the same to Keele (my firm) if the email I get back are less ambiguous than the actual letter.

Reply 11

emmmmmmaxx

Original post by Velocity_

Oh really? What did you ask them? I think I'll do the same to Keele (my firm) if the email I get back are less ambiguous than the actual letter.

they just helped me out with the whole application process and everything, and that if I had any problems or questions to just contact them

Reply 12

NJones

Some Ed Psychs are Chartered Psychologists who are qualified to identity dyspraxia, others are just Educational Psychologists and further medical evidence is required to support the application.

Sounds like an issue with one of the tests used at the time no longer accepted.