Careers with deaf children and young people
Transcription
Careers with deaf children and young people
Careers with deaf children and young people This factsheet explains some of the careers that can involve working with deaf children and young deaf people. The training and qualifications needed for these careers vary. For some careers, you will be able to start work immediately after college, and/or get on-the-job training. For some medical professions you will need to do a degree first, then study further to specialise in a chosen field. Education Teacher of deaf children It is important that deaf children are taught by a person who understands their needs, regardless of their level of deafness. This makes sure that deaf children are given the same educational opportunities as hearing children of the same age. A teacher who specialises in working with deaf children is commonly known as a teacher of the deaf. Teachers of the deaf require specialised skills. They help deaf children to develop their language skills and they also play an important role in developing a deaf child's general education. A teacher of the deaf works in a variety of different settings within the education system. The four areas in which a teacher of the deaf may work are: h in a mainstream school h a special unit within a mainstream school h as a peripatetic teacher h in a school for deaf children Note: we use the term 'deaf' to cover all types of deafness, including temporary deafness such as glue ear. The National Deaf Children’s Society 15 Dufferin Street London EC1Y 8UR NDCS Freephone helpline: 0808 800 8880 voice & text (Mon – Fri 10am-5pm) Fax: 020 7251 5020 Website: www.ndcs.org.uk Email: [email protected] Registered Charity No. 1016532 Careers with deaf children & young people To become a teacher of the deaf you must be a qualified teacher (QTS). You should usually have at least two years classroom experience (this can be less for deaf people). You then need to take a course in teaching deaf children. The length of the course can either be one year full-time or more usually two years part-time. Contact the education authority1 for information about schools with provision for deaf children in your area. Contact the NDCS for the factsheet Training to be a teacher of the deaf. The British Association for Teachers of the Deaf (BATOD) can also provide further information (see page 15). Nursery nurse A nursery nurse supports the work of the teacher within the classroom or nursery. They support a child either on an individual basis, or in a small group to reinforce lessons and also help a child to develop communication skills. A nursery nurse can work in a variety of settings: child care centres, crèches, in pre-school or playgroups, nursery schools, schools, after-school clubs, out-ofschool care schemes and also as private nannies. It is possible for a nursery nurse to specialise in working with deaf children and/or children with special needs. It is important for a nursery nurse to have appropriate communication skills. Sign language skills are vital when working with children for whom this is their first language. However not all deaf children use sign language. Therefore it is important that you are able to tailor your communication skills to meet the needs of the individual child. Nursery nurses may also work with teachers of the deaf and speech and language therapists. To be recognised as a nursery nurse you will need an NVQ Level 3 in Early Years Care and Education, or a CACHE Diploma in Childcare and Education. For further information contact the Council for Awards in Children's Care and Education (CACHE), see page 16. 1 local education authority (LEA) in England and Wales, the education department in the local council authority in Scotland or education and library board (ELB) in Northern Ireland. Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 2 Careers with deaf children & young people CACHE offers training courses and awards diplomas in Childcare and Education (previously NNEB) and NVQs. Teaching assistant The main role of a teaching assistant (TA) is to support and encourage children to get involved in the social and academic activities at school. They also assist in the development of a deaf child's communication skills and help them to become independent learners. A teaching assistant works closely with the teacher but does not usually have a responsibility to prepare lessons. Deaf children communicate using different methods (contact the NDCS Freephone helpline for the factsheet Communication with deaf children and young people). It is important to have the appropriate skills to be able to communicate with a deaf child. Sign language skills, although vital, may not be appropriate all the time. Once you start training as a teaching assistant your employer will train you. In England there is nationally approved induction training for assistants. You may also work towards a qualification, such as the NVQ for Teaching Assistants Level 2 and 3. Working as a TA can lead you toward a CACHE Specialist Teacher Assistant Award (STA).Teaching assistants are also known as learning support assistants (LSAs) or classroom assistants (CAs). Although no formal qualifications are required to work with deaf children, you must have some relevant experience. For further information contact CACHE (see page 16). To find out about vacancies contact your education authority1 and also look out for job advertisements in specialist magazines such as Nursery World. TA positions can be in nurseries, primary or secondary schools, including residential schools for deaf children. Speech and language therapist A speech and language therapist works with children and adults who have difficulties producing and using speech sounds, difficulties using and Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 3 Careers with deaf children & young people understanding language, fluency (stammering) or problems with their voice. They may also work with people who have eating and swallowing difficulties. The speech and language therapist assesses the nature of the client's problem and then provides appropriate treatment, advice and support. Speech and language therapy helps people to use their residual speech to the best of their ability. They also work with children who use sign language, to help them to develop their auditory skills and speech. Most speech and language therapists work in NHS hospitals or clinics, but some work in independent practice. Others may be employed by education authorities2 to work in schools with deaf children. To train as a speech and language therapist you need to take a three or four year first degree course or a two year postgraduate degree. The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) has accredited courses offered at a number of universities and colleges across the UK. You can also train as a speech and language therapist's assistant. Specific qualifications or experience may be of great value in work with certain client groups (e.g experience of working with deaf children, nursery nurse qualifications etc.) An N/SVQ in Care at Level 3 is available. For further information contact RCSLT (see page 16). Connexions Personal Adviser Personal advisers work for the Connexions Service and provide support for all young people aged 13 -19 in England. Their aim is to provide advice, guidance and support to help young people make a smooth transition to adulthood and working life. Personal advisers may work one-to-one with a young person on a particular issue, or they may work less intensively with a larger group of young people. Personal advisers may also work with families, schools, colleges and employers, as well as working with voluntary, statutory and community agencies. To become a fully qualified personal adviser you will need to hold a relevant qualification at S/NVQ Level 4, or equivalent (such as in Careers Guidance, Youth Work or Social Work), and complete training specific to Connexions. In some Connexions partnerships, people can start work as trainees without 2 local education authority (LEA) in England and Wales, the education department in the local council authority in Scotland and education and library board (ELB) in Northern Ireland. Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 4 Careers with deaf children & young people qualifications. They may do NVQ Level 3 in Guidance or Youth Work and then continue with the qualifications as for other personal advisers. Further information is available from local Connexions partnerships, or by visiting: http://www.connexions.gov.uk Youth Worker The Deaf Youth Service aims to empower Deaf young people (from 11 to 25 years old) and develop their skills, abilities and confidence. Members get the chance to meet other Deaf young people in similar situations, using their preferred language, British Sign Language (BSL). The Royal Association for Deaf people provides Youth Clubs and activities throughout the year for Deaf young people, and have built a support network with other youth services. The Deaf Youth Service is based at RAD Chelmsford but covers Essex, East London and South London. Many youth workers start by visiting Youth Clubs as young people, volunteering, and then becoming youth workers. Volunteers and youth workers working for the Deaf Youth Service should have experience of the Deaf culture/community and be fluent or native BSL users. Further information is available from the Royal Association for Deaf People (see Page 16), or by visiting: http://www.royaldeaf.org.uk Social worker The role of a social worker covers many aspects of the welfare of deaf children. Most work for the local council, but others may work in a hospital or educational setting. Others work with social work teams, voluntary organisations and alternative service providers delivering statutory services, eg in the fields of child protection and mental health. Social workers give advice to families on a range of issues such as benefits, education, and equipment for the home. They also give advice to schools on issues relating to Deaf culture and language. They often work with education Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 5 Careers with deaf children & young people authorities1 in their area to make sure that schools are aware of a child's individual needs. Staff in social services may not necessarily be trained specifically to work with deaf children. Assistant social workers may have a lot of experience working with deaf people and also relevant communication skills. Such a person may have the opportunity to study to become a social worker, to further their knowledge and complement their existing skills. For a career as a social worker you will need a degree in social work which is available at undergraduate and post- graduate levels. This new qualification replaces the Diploma in Social Work (Dip SW) qualification that is currently being phased out. To specialise as a social worker with deaf people (children or adults) you will need to have some proficiency in British Sign Language (BSL), lipreading skills, have knowledge about deaf issues and also be deaf aware. If you want to work with children you will also need to have a thorough understanding of principles and legislation relating to Child Protection, the Childrens Act or the Children (NI) Order (Northern Ireland). For further information, contact the General Social Care Council (GSCC) in England; the Care Council for Wales (CCW) in Wales; the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) in Scotland; and the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) in Northern Ireland (see page 16). Each website holds information on job requirements for various jobs within the social work sector, working with children and young people, as well as adults. Health service Mental health There are a number of opportunities to train and work in the field of mental health, catering specifically for deaf children and adults. Work in this field is carried out by various professionals such as: Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 6 Careers with deaf children & young people ● doctors ● psychiatrists ● clinical psychologists ● research assistants ● counsellors ● psychotherapists ● registered psychiatric nurses ● health care workers ● occupational therapists ● family therapists ● speech and language therapists ● social workers art therapists ● drama therapists ● community psychiatric nurses ● residential care workers ● care workers ● sign language interpreters ● Training for these professions can be done in various ways, but some can take a number of years to develop the specialist skills required. For information regarding opportunities to work in the mental health field, contact the British Society of Mental Health and Deafness (BSMHD) (see page 15), or MIND (see page 16). At present there are three specialists mental health services for deaf adults: 1. The Adult Team, National Deaf Services, South West London and St. George’s Mental Health Services NHS Trust, in London. 2. The John Denmark Unit at the National Centre for Mental Health and Deafness, in Manchester. 3. Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Mental Health Services for Deaf People, in Birmingham. There is a specialised team for deaf children and their families called the Deaf Child and Family Services at South West London and St. George’s Mental Health Services NHS Trust, in London. The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) has a number of residential homes for deaf adults with specific needs, including mental health problems (see page 17 for contact details). Counsellor Counselling is about listening to a client and supporting them as they work through their problems. A counsellor works in a variety of settings such as schools, specialist agencies (eg for alcohol, drugs or child abuse), doctor surgeries (GP) or private practice, and in other general counselling services. To be a counsellor with deaf people, you will need to have clear speech for Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 7 Careers with deaf children & young people lipreading and/or sign language skills, depending on the needs of the individual client. You will also need an appropriate counselling qualification accredited by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). There aren’t any specialist counselling training courses on deafness, though there are on disability. Most courses are part-time, usually in the evening or on day release. For information on colleges that offer BACP Accredited Counsellor training courses and also for further information on training and placement contact the BACP (see page 15). Audiology Audiology is the study of hearing and balance disorders. Paediatric audiology deals with the assessment of children's hearing and their rehabilitation. The audiologist works closely with the ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist. There are various career opportunities in this field, usually within hospital or community settings in the NHS, or in private health care. Audiologist A fully trained audiologist has in-depth knowledge about hearing, acoustics and balance. An audiologist has two main roles, diagnostic and rehabilitative. The diagnostic role involves carrying out a range of tests on children and adults to determine the level and extent of deafness or a balance problem, to enable accurate clinical diagnosis. The rehabilitative role involves long-term management of people with deafness, balance problems or tinnitus. The audiologist needs to have technical skills and good listening and communication skills. Educational Audiologist Educational Audiologists work closely with deaf children, teachers and families and give advice about using hearing aids, and about equipment and services for deaf people. They may assess children’s hearing and communication needs and fit hearing aids. To train as an Educational Audiologist you need to be a qualified teacher of the deaf, and then complete an MSc in Educational Audiology. Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 8 Careers with deaf children & young people Audiological Scientist An audiological scientist is a member of a multi-disciplinary team, usually based in a hospital, and is concerned with the identification and the rehabilitation of hearing and balance disorders for both children and adults. An audiological scientist will be involved in making sure that reliable and valid techniques are used for tests; in making sure that results are interpreted properly; in the development and assessment of new test techniques and technological developments; and will also work with patients in a clinic. They are also involved in the assessment and follow-up testing for children of all ages, overseeing the fitting and evaluation of their hearing aids. An experienced audiological scientist may also have a managerial responsibility for the local audiology service. Entry level as an audiological scientist is an MSc in Audiology and then specialist service training. Hearing therapist Hearing therapists assess the needs of patients who have lost their hearing later in life (become deafened), or have tinnitus or balance problems. They give advice on tactics to help with lipreading and hearing and on how to make the best use of hearing aids and environmental aids. A hearing therapist may also work with adults or children who have a cochlear implant and other special needs groups. They may also counsel patients who are finding it difficult to cope with the impact of deafness, and provide other professionals with information and advice on deafness. Hearing therapists work as part of the NHS team in hospitals, liaising with audiological and medical teams, social workers, and also working in the community. Previous experience of working with deaf people is an advantage. A hearing therapist needs to have good clear speech that is easy to lipread. Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 9 Careers with deaf children & young people Qualifications in Audiology Several universities in the UK offer an honours degree in Audiology. You will need to have achieved three A levels or equivalent (including one science subject). The four-year BSc is a university-based course with several clinical placements in audiology departments. The third year is spent entirely in clinical practice. There is also a MSc in Audiology, and a fast track conversion diploma for those with a BSc in another relevant science subject. For further information on the career pathway for Audiologists and Audiological Scientists, please contact the British Academy of Audiology (see page 15). To qualify as a hearing therapist you can do a BSc in Audiology (which includes clinical training) or on the job training leading to a Diploma in Hearing Therapy. Audiological physician The role of an audiological physician includes investigation, diagnosis and management of both adults and children with deafness or balance problems. It also involves the diagnosis and management of patients with tinnitus. An audiological physician manages a team of scientific and technical staff and therapists, run on an out-patient basis with an emphasis on rehabilitation. They are responsible for links with other medical and non-medical professionals within the hospital, community and in the education and support services. To become an audiological physician you must complete an MSc on Audiological Medicine in addition to years of clinical training. For further information contact the British Association of Audiological Physicians (BAAP), see page 15. Communication support Below is a list of professions in the field of communication support for deaf people. The following types of communication support are used to assist deaf people in a variety of situations. (For a factsheet on Communication with deaf children and young people contact the NDCS Freephone helpline). They are regarded as specialised professions, each of which requires a certain level of training. For further details regarding these particular professions contact the Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People (CACDP), see page 16. Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 10 Careers with deaf children & young people Lipreader tutor A lipreader tutor's role is to encourage a person who is deafened to develop their lipreading and observational skills. The tutor will provide information about conversational tactics and environmental aids and inform them about support services. This can help deafened people recover their confidence and selfesteem. Lipreading tutors are trained to teach adults. It is important for a lipreader tutor to have clear speech patterns that are easy to lipread by a deaf person. For further information on courses for lipreading contact the Association of Teachers of Lipreading to Adults (ATLA), see on page 15. Lipspeaker A lipspeaker is a person trained to accurately convey information in English from a speaker to a deaf lipreader using silent speech, clear lip patterns, facial expressions and gestures. Their clients are deaf people who use speech, rather than sign to communicate. Lipspeakers can be helpful for deaf people who find themselves in an environment where there is too much background noise or where a speaker at a meeting does not have clear lip patterns. They can also be helpful for young deaf people in further or higher education, at job interviews or meetings. CACDP has developed curriculum and examinations at two levels – Level 2 & Level 3 (Vocational Qualifications) Certificate in Lipspeaking. For further information visit the website www.lipspeaking.co.uk, and also contact CACDP (see page 16). British Sign Language/English interpreter British Sign Language (BSL)/English interpreting is a highly skilled profession that can provide a wide variety of opportunities to work with deaf children as well as adults. BSL is a language in its own right, with its own grammatical structure. Some deaf people prefer to use BSL signs in English word order, this is known as Sign Supported English (SSE). Interpreters are also available in SSE. Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 11 Careers with deaf children & young people Interpreters work for both deaf and hearing people. When a deaf person signs, the interpreter translates what was signed into spoken English and when the hearing person speaks, the interpreter then translates what is spoken into BSL. It takes several years for an absolute beginner to become proficient in BSL. A sign language interpreter would work with children and young people in a variety of settings, including schools, colleges, theatre and special events. To begin to train as an interpreter you will need to have relevant qualifications in BSL. You then need to follow an approved interpreter training or assessment programme that leads to eligibility to register with CACDP via the Independent Registration Panel. There are two options: • The first is the academic route, by doing a degree or equivalent in BSL/English interpreting. The length of the course can be between two to four years. For information on which universities provide these courses contact UCAS (see page 15). • The second route is the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in BSL/English Interpreting. Please contact CACDP for further details. For information contact The Independent Registration Panel, Registration Department, c/o CACDP (see page 16). Communication support worker (CSW) Communication support workers support deaf students in schools, further and higher education, work, hospitals and many other situations. A CSW is not only trained in communication skills but also in teaching methods and deaf issues. They work closely with other professionals such as teachers and interpreters. Their work can be varied, from notetaking one day to working with BSL users the next. Trainee communicators must be at least 19 year old, have CACDP level 2 Sign Language and demonstrate a good standard of general education. It is also helpful to have at least one other communication qualification, such as in lipspeaking or deaf – blind communication. For further details about the training course contact your local college or university. Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 12 Careers with deaf children & young people Notetaker Notetakers support deaf students in further and higher education. They are expected to be proficient in taking notes, either typed or in hand-written English, to be passed onto students. If a deaf student has to look away from the interpreter or lipspeaker to make notes, they may lose track of what is being spoken. The use of a notetaker allows a student to concentrate on the lesson and follow what is being spoken or signed. The course for notetakers can either be taken as part of the Edexcel professional development award Communication Support Worker with Deaf Students, or solely as a short course for those who only want to become notetakers, the CACDP Certificate in Notetaking for Deaf Students Level 2. People with highly developed keyboard skills can train for electronic notetaking, which involves working with laptop computers. The information is stored on a disc and is given to the student at the end of the lecture. The CACDP offers a course, CACDP Certificate in Electronic Notetaking Level 2. Electronic notetaking such as SpeedText does not provide a word for word report. However, a Speech to Text (STT) reporter provides word to word record of what is being spoken. For further information contact the CACDP (see page 16). Voluntary work There are a number of voluntary agencies and charities that work with deaf children and young deaf people. Your local branch of the Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) and the local telephone directory will have details of voluntary organisations in your area. For opportunities to work with deaf children, in a nursery, playgroup, crèche, or school contact the education authority3 or social services. The Deaf UK jobs website has details about jobs with deaf people. Contact details are on page 16. For further information contact: 3 local education authority (LEA) in England and Wales, the education department in the local council authority in Scotland and education and library board (ELB) in Northern Ireland. Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 13 Careers with deaf children & young people http://www.do-it.org.uk This information is available to individuals, on request, in large print, audio tape and in Braille. September 2005 Useful organisations • Association of Lipspeakers ALS Information Office, 5 Furlong Close, Upper Tean, Stoke on Trent, Staffs, ST10 4LB Tel: 01538 722482 (voice); Text/fax: 01538 722442 Email: [email protected]; website: www.lipspeaking.co.uk • ATLA - The Association of Teachers of Lipreading to Adults Westwood Park, London Rd, Little Horkesley, Colchester, CO6 4BS Email: [email protected]; website: www.lipreading.org.uk • British Academy of Audiology Barbara Teat, Admin Secretary, PO Box 346 Peterborough RM, PE6 7ES Email: [email protected]; website: www.baaudiology.org These contact details are current from 1 April 2004 Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 14 Careers with deaf children & young people • BAAP - British Association of Audiological Physicians Dr Ros Davies, Hon. Secretary, Department of Neuro-otology, The National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery, Queens Square, London WC1N 3BG Tel: 020 7837 3611 ext 3385 (voice); fax: 020 7829 8775 Email: [email protected]; website: www.baap.org.uk • BACP - British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy BACP House, 35-37 Albert St, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 2SG Information Line: 0870 443 5252; fax: 0870 443 5160 Email: [email protected]; website: www.bacp.co.uk • BAEA – British Association of Educational Audiologists John Ellwood (Chair BAEA), The Old School, Lupton, Carnforth LA6 2PX Email: [email protected] • BATOD - British Association of Teachers for the Deaf 175 Dashwood Avenue, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP12 3DB Answerphone: 01494 464 190 (voice & fax) Email: [email protected]; website: www.batod.org.uk • BSMHD - British Society for Mental Health & Deafness Jonathan Issac, c/o UK Council on Deafness, Westwood Park, London Rd, Little Horkesley, Colchester, CO6 4BS Tel: 01206 274075 (voice); text: 01206 274076; fax: 01206 274007 Email: [email protected]; website: www.bsmhd.org.uk • CACDP - Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People Durham University Science Park, Block 4, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3UZ Tel: 0191 383 1155 (voice & text); text answerphone: 0191 383 7915 Fax: 0191 383 7914 Email: [email protected]; website: www.cacdp.org.uk • CACHE - Council for Awards in Children's Care and Education Keeley Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2B 4BA Tel: 01727 847 636 (voice); fax: 01727 867609 E-mail: [email protected]; website: www.cache.org.uk • The City Lit Institute, Centre for Deaf People Connaught Hall Site, 16 Stukeley St, London, WC2B 5LJ Tel: 020 7383 7624 (voice); text: 020 7380 0416 Fax: 020 7380 1076 Email: [email protected]; website: www.citylit.ac.uk Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 15 Careers with deaf children & young people • Deaf UK Jobs: A free emailing list that advertises job vacancies that are deaf related. Subscribe to: [email protected] or contact [email protected] • General Social Care Council GSCC, Goldings House, 2 Hays Lane, London SE1 2HB Careers info line tel: 0845 604 6404 (voice); website: www.gscc.org.uk; www.socialcarecareers.co.uk Scotland –Tel: 0845 603 0891(voice) e-mail: [email protected] Wales – Tel: 029 2022 6257 (voice) e-mail: [email protected] N. Ireland – Tel: 028 90 417 600 (voice) e-mail: [email protected] • MIND Granta House, 15-19 Broadway, Stratford, London E15 4BQ Tel: 08457 660 163 (voice) Monday to Friday 9.15am - 5.15pm Email: [email protected]; website: www.mind.org.uk • RAD Youth Service St Mark’s Centre, Cottage Place, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1NL Tel: 01245 283777; Fax: 01245 346609; Minicom: 01245 283777 Email: [email protected]; website: www.royaldeaf.org.uk • RCSLT - The Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists, 2 White Hart Yard, London, SE11NX. Tel: 020 7378 1200; Fax: 020 7403 7254 E-mail: [email protected]; website: www.rcslt.org • RNID - Royal National Institute for Deaf People 19-23 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SL Tel: 0808 808 0123; Text: 0808 808 9000; Fax: 020 7296 8199 Email: [email protected]; website: www.rnid.org.uk • UCAS - Universities and Colleges Admissions Service for the UK Rosehill, Newbarn Lane, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 3LZ Tel: 01242 222 444(voice); text: 01242 544 942 Email: [email protected]; website: www.ucas.co.uk Phone the NDCS Freephone helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice & text). Open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 16