Support to Study

You can ask for support yourself by speaking to your Personal Tutor, Research Degree Tutor, Apprentice Educator or another member of staff in your School.

You can also contact the University's wellbeing service.

A concern may also be raised by:

• A member of University staff
• Another student
• A health professional
• A placement supervisor or employer
• A family member
• The police or an accommodation provider

Stage 1 is managed within your School. Stages 2 and 3 are coordinated by Student Services.

• You should be told why a meeting or case conference is being arranged.
• You should be told who will attend and why they are involved.
• You should normally receive at least 5 working days' notice, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
• You may be accompanied or represented by someone you choose, including a friend, family member, Students' Union adviser or external support worker.
• Reasonable adjustments should be considered so that you can participate.
• You should be told what information may be shared, with whom and why.
• You can ask for independent advice and support from the Students' Union throughout the process.

The process is not intended to operate like a court hearing and should not be adversarial or overly legalistic.

Stage 1 is the informal stage. It is normally used where concerns are low risk or beginning to emerge.

A Personal Tutor, Apprentice Educator, Year Lead or another appropriate member of staff will usually speak with you about:

• The concerns that have been raised
• How your health, disability or wellbeing is affecting your studies
• What support is already in place
• What additional support or action may help

A Support to Study Action Plan may be agreed. This might include regular meetings, engagement with University services, or support from external professionals.

The plan should be reviewed. If concerns are resolved, the process can close. If concerns continue, become more serious or you do not engage, the case may move to Stage 2 or another University procedure.

Stage 2 is a formal stage managed by Student Services. It may be used where concerns are continuing or moderate, where Stage 1 has not resolved the issue, or where the situation is too serious to manage informally.

A Stage 2 meeting will normally include:

• You
• Your Course Leader or Degree Apprenticeship Lead
• A Mental Health, Wellbeing or Inclusive Support adviser or officer

The meeting will consider your understanding of the concerns, the effect on your studies or other people, and what support or changes may be needed.

Stage 2 may also be used for a Return to Study Meeting following an interruption or break in learning.

Stage 3 is the most serious stage. It is used where concerns are severe, enduring or may place you or other people at risk.

It may follow Stage 2 or begin immediately where the University considers the concern serious enough.

A Stage 3 Case Conference will normally include you, a senior academic representative and a Mental Health, Wellbeing or Inclusive Support adviser or officer.

In exceptional circumstances involving a significant and immediate risk, the Case Conference may be arranged at short notice or may proceed without you being present.

Stage 3 may also be used for a Return to Study Case Conference following an interruption or break in learning.

Read the meeting invitation carefully and ask for clarification if the concerns or purpose are unclear.

You may be asked to provide recent and relevant medical or supporting evidence. For a Return to Study meeting, you may also be asked to provide a written statement explaining why you are ready to return.

Before the meeting:

• Write down the points you want to explain
• Gather relevant medical or professional evidence
• Think about adjustments or support that may help
• Choose whether you want someone to accompany or represent you
• Ask for reasonable adjustments if you need them

The University may also consider other relevant information, including engagement records, communications with staff and information received from other services.

An Action Plan records the support and actions agreed with you. It should include a review date and explain what may happen if the agreed actions are not followed.

An Action Plan could include:

• Regular meetings with academic staff
• Engagement with Student Services or Student Achievement Services
• Contact with a GP, mental health service or another external professional
• Use of Disabled Students' Allowance support
• Reasonable adjustments or changes to study arrangements

Engage with the plan where you can. If something is not working or your circumstances change, tell the University and ask for the plan to be reviewed.

The outcome and any Action Plan should be sent to you within 10 working days of the meeting or case conference.

Read the outcome carefully. Check:

• What has been decided
• What actions you are expected to take
• What support the University has agreed to provide
• When the case will be reviewed
• What may happen if the concerns continue or the plan is not followed
• Whether you have a right to appeal

Possible outcomes include:

• The concerns are resolved and the process closes
• An Action Plan is agreed or continued
• The case remains at the same stage for a further review
• The case moves to the next stage
• The matter is considered under another University procedure
• You continue or return to study with no conditions
• You continue or return with conditions, reasonable adjustments or a support plan
• An agreed interruption, extension to an interruption, change in mode of study, change of programme or exam-only status

At Stage 3, the University may also consider:

• Full or partial suspension
• A University-led interruption or break in learning
• Withdrawal from the University

These are serious outcomes. Ask for advice promptly if one is being considered or imposed.

The University may continue without your input if it considers this necessary, particularly where there is a risk to you or another person.

Non-attendance or not engaging with an Action Plan can lead to:

• The case moving to the next stage
• Referral to another University procedure
• More serious restrictions or outcomes being considered

If you cannot attend or participate because of your health or another serious reason, tell the University as soon as possible. Explain what is preventing you from engaging and ask about adjustments or another way to contribute.

The policy allows the University to consider an interim suspension at any stage under the Student Disciplinary Procedure.

An interim suspension is not the same as a final finding or sanction. It is normally used as a temporary measure while concerns are considered.

Seek advice immediately if you are told that an interim suspension is being considered or has been imposed.

You may need to attend a Return to Study Meeting or Case Conference before you can re-enrol.

A wellbeing hold may be placed on your student record during an interruption or break in learning. This can prevent re-enrolment until the Return to Study process has been completed.

You may be asked to provide:

• A written statement explaining why you believe you are ready to return
• Recent medical or professional evidence
• Information about ongoing treatment, support or reasonable adjustments

The process may take several weeks. Contact the University early and allow enough time before your intended return date.

You may be allowed to return:

• With no conditions
• With conditions, reasonable adjustments or a support plan

If the University does not consider that you are well enough to return, it may consider:

• A further interruption or extension to an interruption
• A change to your mode or programme of study
• Exam-only status, where available and agreed
• Escalation to a Stage 3 Return to Study Case Conference

You have a formal right of appeal against decisions made at Stage 3.

If you are unhappy with an outcome at Stage 1 or Stage 2, the policy says the matter will be escalated to the next stage rather than dealt with through the formal appeal process.

A Stage 3 appeal must be submitted in writing to the Student Casework Team within 10 working days of the date of the outcome letter.

The policy lists the Student Casework email as StudentCasework@lancashire.ac.uk.

Contact the Advice Service as soon as you receive the decision. Ten working days can pass quickly.

Your appeal should explain which decision you are challenging and how one or more of the permitted grounds apply.

The grounds are:

• The policy was not followed properly
• The decision was unreasonable
• You have new material evidence that you could not provide earlier for a valid reason
• There was bias or a reasonable perception of bias
• The action taken was disproportionate or not permitted under the policy

Disagreeing with the outcome on its own is unlikely to be enough. Link your appeal clearly to the permitted grounds and provide evidence where possible.

The Student Casework Team will first decide whether your appeal appears to meet one or more of the grounds.

If it does, it will normally go to an Appeal Panel. The Panel may:

• Reject the appeal and uphold the original decision
• Uphold the appeal and decide an alternative outcome
• Send the matter back for reconsideration by a different Stage 3 decision-maker
• In exceptional cases, arrange an Appeal Hearing

If there is a hearing, you should normally receive at least 5 working days' notice and you may be accompanied or represented by one person.

The written decision should normally be sent within 10 working days of the hearing.

The Advice Service can help you:

• Understand why the Support to Study process has been started
• Prepare for a meeting or case conference
• Identify relevant evidence and information
• Think about adjustments and support you may need
• Review an Action Plan or outcome letter
• Prepare a Return to Study statement
• Understand whether you have grounds to appeal
• Review an appeal before you submit it
• Attend or represent you at a meeting where appropriate and agreed

Contact us as early as possible, particularly if you have received a meeting invitation, a serious proposed outcome or a Stage 3 decision.