Disability

The Fund for Students with Disabilities is co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Social Fund as part of the ESF Program for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014 – 2020.

The Fund for Students with Disabilities allocates funding to further and higher education colleges for the provision of services and supports to full-time and part-time students with disabilities. The Fund aims to ensure that students can participate fully in their academic programmes and are not disadvantaged by reason of a disability. Eligible students can receive assistance from the Fund from PLC level right up to doctoral level. You do not have to be in your first year of a course to be eligible to apply for the supports provided by the Fund for Students with Disabilities.

Students must provide documentary evidence of their disability and attend a short Needs Assessment meeting in order to access supports through the fund. Students must meet particular criteria in order to qualify for support and students will be informed of these at their Needs Assessment.

Students who wish to request a Needs Assessment should email (opens in a new window)disability@ucd.ie

Student Counselling Service

This is a free and confidential service staffed by professionally qualified psychologists and counsellors. The supports they offer include:

• One-to-one counselling - Counselling allows you to speak privately with a professional about problems that are worrying or upsetting. This can support you in finding new ways of understanding and managing the problem. You can register for counselling by filling out an online form. The number of sessions offered depends on your needs.
• Group counselling and workshops are offered on topics such as stress management, mindfulness, and bereavement support.
• (opens in a new window)SilverCloud gives you immediate access to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) programmes that you can work through at your own pace.

The Student Health Service offers a number of supports that may be helpful to students experiencing mental health difficulties. 

• Doctor appointments - Speaking to a Doctor/General Practitioner (GP) is often a good starting point if you are unsure of what support you might need for your mental health. Both routine and urgent Doctor appointments are available. There is a charge for appointments. This service is intended as an addition to the students' own family doctor/GP or specialist medical services. Students should continue to attend their own GP where possible, especially if Dublin based.

• Psychiatry service - UCD students can be referred to the Psychiatrist at Student Health by a UCD GP, external GP, external Psychiatrist, or UCD Student Counselling. There is a charge for appointments. 

• Addiction Counsellor - This is a free service for UCD students who want to discuss parental, peer or personal addiction problems in confidence.

In 2022, UCD updated their “Supporting the Employment of Persons With Disabilities” policy which is in place and sets in stone the rights and responsibilities of all employees of University College Dublin who have disabilities in the workplace. This policy can be accessed here.

UCD is committed to making its campus, its information and its goods and services accessible to everyone. The Disability Act 2005 sets out the legal requirements for public sector bodies to be accessible to everyone. Information about Campus Accessibility, including signage, guide dog awareness, digital accessibility, reduced mobility parking spaces, assistive technology and more are available here.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) can be defined as some modification to tasks or the structure of a job or the workplace at nominal cost which allows a qualified employee with a disability to fully do their job and enjoy equal employment opportunities.  Reasonable Accommodation can vary from something as simple as rearranging office furniture, to providing Assistive Technology or providing for changes to working hours.

If you want to find out more about reasonable accommodations which you may be eligible to avail of, there are a variety of forms and policies available for your perusal here.

UCD Staff Disability Network aims to bring together staff with disabilities and staff with an interest in disabilities in a relaxed forum and to be a source of peer support in the workplace.  The network will promote disability equality for staff through active involvement and consultation on the University’s plans, strategies, policies and guidance. Staff with disabilities is represented on the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Group  by Tina Lowe, Campus Accessibility Officer. You can read more about the UCD Staff Disability Network here.

UCD is committed to the creation of a work environment where every employee can feel supported no matter what issues they may be facing in life and where mental health and wellbeing is promoted. UCD recognises that life can be demanding and we always strive to support employees’ wellbeing. 

Please reach out and seek support if you require it. An up-to-date list of resources which are available to you can be found here. These include supports from within UCD, including the Employee Assistance Service, Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Colleagues, the Dignity and Respect Support Service and more, in addition to supports from outside organisations. 

This document has also been created as a quick reference guide as to what to do in a Mental Health Emergency.