Register with ASSIST

When you register with ASSIST you will need to provide appropriate supporting evidence of your disability or additional needs, and how this affects you day to day. There are different options, depending on your particular circumstances.

Documents you need to register with ASSIST

You will need to contact the ASSIST team, who will send you a Registration form to complete, which also provides your consent for the team to hold and process your information, your consent to share with other parties, as well as also providing the team’s Privacy Statement. You will also need to provide the team with copies of evidence which confirms or outlines the nature of your disability, medical condition, autism, specific learning difference or additional needs. Please see the information below about the types of evidence you can provide to complete your registration with ASSIST.

You can contact the ASSIST team by email ASSIST@northampton.ac.uk.

Sending your evidence to ASSIST

We recommend that all evidence and forms are sent to ASSIST via email as attachments. When photographing your evidence, please ensure:

•  Your image is saved as a standard file format such as a jpeg or PD
• The document is placed on a flat surface and is fully visible
• You provide a readable copy of the full document

If you have dyslexia, dyspraxia or any other specific learning difficulties

You will need to submit a report, in English, from an Educational psychologist, a specialist teacher or another qualified practitioner.

Please note: if your diagnostic evidence was done before the age of 16, you will need to obtain new evidence. You can contact the specialist who diagnosed you in the first place and enquire about updated reports, or download the list of specialists in your area. You can apply to the Financial Assistance Fund (FAF) (access restricted to current students) for a contribution of up to £350 towards the cost of the diagnostic test.

A register of qualified assessors local to Northampton is available from ASSIST – please email or visit us at one of our drop-in sessions to request a copy. Please note that this list is provided for information only and is not exhaustive – it does not constitute a recommendation by the University. You are advised to contact the assessor prior to booking any assessments to discuss your particular circumstances to ensure they are able to meet your needs.

If you have autism, Asperger’s Syndrome or an Autistic Spectrum Disorder

A diagnosis of Autism on its own does not mean that a person is automatically disabled. There are people on the Autism spectrum that will not be impacted in their day-to-day activities. However, it is likely that many students with Autism will be impacted by their condition and there will be a variety of ways that the impact can be evidenced without the student having to seek additional information from a GP or other medical professional.

• a medical diagnosis of the condition (this is not age specific)
• non-medical evidence from Year 9 onwards of learning difficulties as a result of the condition and additional support put in place to meet these difficulties.
• such evidence could be drawn from Statements, Transition Review Plans, Individual Education Plans and Learning Difficulty assessments’

Medical evidence for any other condition

You will need a letter from your doctor or similar health professional if you have:

• a physical disability
• a medical condition
• a mental-health condition
• a sensory impairment

Your evidence needs to contain the following information:

• name of the practitioner
• name of your condition(s) (impairment, disability or medical condition)
• how long is your condition likely to last?
• how does your condition affect you (concentration, memory, mobility, reading, writing etc.)?
• if you take medication, do they have any notable side effects?

To help you explain to your doctor or other health professional the type of evidence that is required by your funding body, please download the evidence guidance (PDF 65KB).

Academic Inclusion Reports (AIRs)

An AIR is provided to students who register with the ASSIST and/or Mental Health Advisory Service (MHAS). The AIR is designed to support the University in ensuring it is meeting its obligations under the Equality Act to make reasonable adjustments where a student could otherwise experience disadvantage when compared to a non-disabled peer.

The AIR is a document that provides information on a student’s disability, mental health difficulty, health condition, Specific Learning Difference (e.g. dyslexia) or other additional need, the impact of their condition on their ability to undertake study, and details any proposed reasonable adjustments considered appropriate to supporting a student through their studies at the University. It is a solely internal document and has no statutory or legal weight. A copy of the AIR policy and procedure is available to download (PDF 134KB).

Confidentiality and disclosure

Any information that you tell us about your disability is covered by the Data Protection Act. This information will be treated as confidential and will only be passed to other members of staff if necessary and with your informed consent.

If you are a student on certain courses, including health, social work and teaching, you have a duty of care towards clients and must disclose any disability or condition that may affect your ability to work safely.