Disabilities

• Access to written materials (e.g. slides) in advance of attending our attraction events

• British Sign Language support or live captioning at our webinars

• Adjustments to tasks at our assessment centre – e.g. provision of dyslexia friendly resources such as colour overlays, extra time, British Sign Language support or scribe for reading or written exercises

It is important to highlight that adjustments that might be feasible during the application and assessment processes may differ from those that are able to be implemented during the programme.

• Inclusive learning support plans (ILSP) and support through Lancaster University’s Disability and Inclusion service 

• Physical adjustments at residential learning days (e.g. accessible bedrooms and bathrooms) 

• Accessible teaching materials (e.g. text-to-speech, dictation and audio recording software etc. and learning materials continually available online throughout the course 

• Physical adjustments within local authority (e.g. designated work station, ergonomic chair) 

• Availability of study skills support 

Please note that the above examples are based on an individual’s needs and you may not need or be entitled to the adjustments listed.

It is also important to highlight that all participants on Approach Social Work have access to counselling and other wellbeing support through Student Assistance Support (SAP). 

For further information on ILSP’s, Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) and Access to Work funding, please refer to Lancaster University’s Disability Service’s information for Approach participants.

You are welcome to contact us at any time to discuss a disability (including invisible disabilities and neurodiversity, such as mental health conditions, dyslexia or ASD/ASC) and adjustment needs for the application process.

Please be aware that the information you share at this stage is not usually passed to other teams. There will be further opportunities for you to relay any adjustments that you may need for the programme. However, if you have a sensory or physical disability that substantially impacts or impairs your functioning or mobility, the recruitment team may seek consent to pass on your details to the admissions and support team so that relevant information about adjustments that may or may not be possible to implement during Approach Social Work can be shared with you.

We would also encourage you to contact us prior to application or at the earliest point thereafter, if you haven’t already shared information relating to a disability that severely impacts upon your functioning with the recruitment team, so that we can discuss this with you.

Please be assured that disclosing a health condition or disability will not affect the assessment of your application or the decision to make a conditional offer. Under the Equality Act (2010), it is unlawful to discriminate against disabled applicants, and we are committed to making reasonable adjustments wherever safe and possible.

In some circumstances, our duty of care may mean it is necessary to begin considering your suitability for professional training alongside the application process. All Frontline applicants are required to complete this suitability process, which mirrors the requirements for joining the Social Work England register, as the programme’s standards link directly to those of the profession.

A health condition or disability would only affect a conditional offer if, after thorough consideration, adjustments were found to be unsafe or unfeasible within Approach Social Work. In this instance, the agreed processes set out in the suitability policy would be followed.