setting up your support.

  • How long will it take my support to get set up?

    Once you have provided your availability to access your support / your timetable. Your Randstad Account Specialist will aim to set your support up within 24 - 48 hours. However, if for any reason there are any delays in arranging this we will let you know as soon as possible.

  • What happens once I have contacted Randstad and given my information?

    Once we have all your information, we work on your behalf to find an available Support Worker to suit your specific requirements. Once this is confirmed, we send you, and your support worker, confirmation details of the support taking place. Your Support Worker will then contact you to arrange your first session. 

  • How many hours of support do I have remaining?

    You can speak with your Support Worker who can check this information from their Opus system or alternatively you can contact your Randstad Account Specialist who can provide this information.

  • What do I need to do if I need further hours of support on top of what I have already been awarded?

    If you feel as though you need more hours, once you are coming towards the end of your hours, please contact your needs assessor to let them know. They may ask for more information as to why you need the hours (upcoming deadline, exams etc) and will review this for you. Please note, it is not always guaranteed that they will approve further hours for you. As / when the hours are agreed, you should receive a new DSA letter with the additional hours noted on the letter, please send a copy to us so that we can update the system and your worker.

  • Can I carry my hours over for the academic year?

    No, any unused hours of support cannot be carried over. The hours which you are awarded for that particular academic year need to be used within that time period. 

    Students studying in Scotland 

    If you are returning to study next year and you would like your support to continue, you must make an appointment with your Disability Advisor at your Institution. Your Disability Advisor will ensure that your DSA allowance is applied for. If you do not do this then support arrangements will not be able to be confirmed for the academic year. 

    Students studying in England and Wales 

    If you are returning to study next year and would like your support to continue, you must state on your main application for student finance that you wish to continue to receive DSA. If you do not receive any form of student finance from your local funding body, or are part time or a post graduate student, you must re-apply for your funding as it is not automatically updated. Please find enclosed a link, explaining how to go about re-applying: 

    https://www.gov.uk/student-finance-forms ;

    If you are graduating this year

    Randstad will be able to offer help and guidance for funding that you may be able to receive upon leaving your HEI and beginning your career, this funding may also be available if you are on a sandwich course or placement year. 

your support sessions.

  • Do I have to have weekly sessions/can it be more flexible?

    Yes your sessions can be flexible to fit in with your schedule. However, we advise that you use the hours according to what you have been assessed for. The hours awarded to you are a guideline of what you should be using to assist you with your studies.

  • Do sessions take place at the same day/time each week?

    As your support is flexible, this can be organised directly with your support worker to take place on the same day and time each week, or you can organise this weekly with your support worker based on your studies and weekly availability.

  • When and where can I have support sessions? I work and my free time is limited.

    Your support can be as flexible as you need it to be as we appreciate that not everyone can be available 9 until 5pm on weekdays. You can access your support in the evening and at weekends and we will always try to accommodate your support requirements to the best of our ability. You might find that accessing your support remotely or in a hybrid format meaning some sessions are face to face and others via video format may work better for you to enable further flexibility and cut travel time if required. We will do our best to provide support in line with your support preferences whether this is remotely, on campus or a blended approach.

  • How do I cancel sessions/what's the cancellation policy?

    In the event that you need to cancel a booked session then please provide a minimum of 24 hours’ notice. In the event that you fail to provide such notice or do not turn up to the booked session then this is classed as a cancelled/missed session. Funding bodies such as Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales and the NHS specify that students will only receive funding for a maximum of 2 missed/cancelled sessions per term. As a result Randstad is obligated to track all missed sessions including the reason for the missed session. If you cancel / miss booked sessions on a regular basis then it may lead to your support worker not being paid and your support may be reviewed by the funding body.

  • What happens if my support worker doesn’t attend the session, or cancels at short notice?

    If this happens please contact Randstad as soon as possible so that we can look into this for you and get back to you with a full update - we will also ensure your session is rearranged and this will not affect your entitlement. Any support sessions cancelled by your support worker will not be deducted from your DSA hours entitlement.

  • How do I authorise my sessions?

    After your support session your support worker will submit a timesheet for your approval. You will receive an email which contains a link for you to view the session and then approve accordingly if everything is in order. You will keep receiving this email until your sessions are approved. If there is a discrepancy on the timesheet preventing you from approving this, please refer to the contact details on the email so we can assist you with this and get any issues rectified.

  • Do I only need study skills/mentoring support sessions when I have a deadline?

    NO! This is a common misconception with students who are awarded study skills and mentoring support. It is unanimously agreed by us at Randstad, your needs assessor and your university that you should be having regular weekly (if your hours allow it) support sessions for both support types. The purpose of your support is to help you develop the skills to work towards independent studying, not simply to read over and proofread your work as detailed before. This is a great opportunity to learn and develop your learning styles to equip you with all the goods to achieve success independently!

  • What if I have more than one type of support?

    If you have been awarded more than one support type, we would recommend that you access both types of support alongside each other. This is usually provided by 2 different support workers who will tailor this to your individual needs and provide support to help benefit you alongside your studies. 

your support worker.

  • Can I have a worker with a specific subject background?

    The support you are provided with is non subject specific in most cases as stipulated via the DSA, however, if you are studying a course where it is a requirement to have someone with a specific background e.g Mathematics, Languages, Engineering, Sciences etc then please let us know and we will do our utmost to help with this.

  • What can my worker help me with?

    The support that you receive will be specific to your individual needs as outlined in your Needs Assessment Report. It will take into account the particular requirements of your course within the University or Institution you are part of.

  • Can my worker proofread my work?

    We have very strict guidelines as to what our support workers are able to assist with. This is so that they can help you to achieve independent learning and also to ensure that you are not given an advantage over students who do not receive any support. The Mentor/Tutor’s role is to give you strategies so you are able to manage your Institution workload, whilst also managing your disability. Proof reading is a separate form of support and if you feel you need this, you will need to go back to your Disability Team at the Institution or your Needs Assessor and they may be able to help. We understand that the boundaries can sometimes be unclear, but if your Support Worker refuses to provide proof reading, it is because it is within their right to do so.

  • Can I change my support worker?

    Speak to your Randstad Account Specialist and we can change your Support Worker for you. We always strive to ensure you have the best support, however, if you don’t feel the Support Worker you have been allocated is the best fit for you, we can look at providing someone who is more suitable.

  • Will the person be the same each session? Will the mentors be specific to your subject or will they be more general?

    Once you are matched to a support worker, they will continue to support you throughout your academic career at university. 

support worker roles.

  • Notetaker and electronic notetaker

    A Notetaker supports students whose disability means that they are unable to write their own notes. Note-taking may be either manual or producing typed notes using a laptop. The role of the Notetaker is to ensure all key points are clearly expressed in a legible manner. You will need to agree with your Notetaker your preferred method of note-taking and ensure that the arrangements are providing the support you need. The Notetaker may also accompany you on field work or course related excursions.

  • Library assistant

    A Library Assistant helps students with general support in the library, which could include accessing books from shelves, searching the library catalogue, locating and/or collecting materials and photocopying etc.

  • Reader

    A Reader reads aloud for a student whose disability makes reading or other forms of accessing text difficult.

  • Mobility assistant

    A Mobility Assistant provides practical and mobility support to assist a student with a physical impairment in manoeuvring around a building/campus. It could also include helping to assist a wheelchair user, carrying books, IT equipment, finding out where things are located etc. In all cases you should liaise with your support worker in order to arrange locations/times and what support you require.

  • Study buddy

    A Study Buddy is a flexible role which can include different tasks, e.g. supporting the student in adapting to the academic demands of higher education, providing information, helping with time keeping, helping with organisational skills etc. as well as more formal tasks such as acting as a Reader, Scribe or Notetaker. Some of these roles will be required throughout a student’s course. Others may require an initial input then reduce as the student becomes more able to manage independently.

  • Transcription service

    A Transcription Service transcribes lecture notes, seminar notes, oral dictation or audio files into another agreed format e.g. text to Braille or audio to typed notes.

  • Proof reader

    A Proof Reader reads through the student’s work and points out the types of errors that the student has made in grammar/spelling/structure etc. and suggests ways of rectifying these in the future. The role is not to comment or to advise on content.

  • Specialist mentor

    A Specialist Mentor provides highly specialist, specifically tailored, one-to-one support which helps students address the barriers to learning created by a particular impairment e.g. mental health difficulties or autistic spectrum disorders. This could include issues such as coping with anxiety and stress situations, how to deal with concentration difficulties, time management, prioritising workload and creating a suitable work-life balance.

    More about mentoring.

  • Specialist tutor (covering specific learning difficulties)

    A Specialist Tutor provides one-to-one specialist support, largely, for students with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD). The Tutor would base the programme on the student’s Needs Assessment. Areas covered are likely to include essay writing techniques, reading strategies, revision planning techniques etc. The Tutor delivering this support should set out clear goals and timescales for achieving these goals with the aim of the student taking responsibility for their own learning and to develop their study skills as far as possible.

    More about tutoring.

  • British Sign Language Interpreter (BSL)

    A BSL Interpreter is an Interpreter for students who are deaf and whose first or preferred language is BSL. The Interpreter will attend lectures, seminars and tutorials and will interpret from English to BSL or vice versa.

  • IT trainer

    An IT Trainer provides a programme of training for the student in how to use the range of assistive technology and specialist software or hardware, in relation to their studies.

    Randstad Student Support can also fulfil other roles as required on a case-by-case basis. The only roles which are not covered relate to personal care. However, support of this kind can be organised through Randstad Care which specialises in this type of assistance.

    Please ask your Randstad Account Specialist if you would like more information relating to Randstad Care.