DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION

Freya spent her secondary and higher education years preparing herself educationally, emotionally and physically for University. Her journey has been challenging and through her own will and determination and with the support of her family, she fully integrated into main stream education which was a significant achievement considering her physical disability- she has spina bifida. Freya's desire to succeed enabled her to successfully gain a place at Winchester University to study Media. The 7 years of secondary and higher educational learning should have culminated in her making the next move into University. However, although Freya was offered a place, she was told there was no suitable adapted accomodation available to suit her physical needs. Having contacted the University on numerous ocassions by phone and email, she and her family have been unable to obtain any sort of response at all from the University.

A set back such as this for any student can be extremely demoralising, but for Freya, having spent an educational lifetime overcoming physical, psychological and emotional hurdles that the average student would never have to consider could have a major impact on her psychological well-being. For Freya this is not a 'small' set back, it is a hurdle that feels totally outside of her control. When any of us experience emotional trauma of any sort, it is exacerbated when we feel we have no control over the outcome ie whatever steps we take, we cannot influence the end result. For Freya, she did everything that was within her capacity to achieve her goals. She studied hard at school and college, she achieved the required results, she did all that the University asked of her, but due to something that she has no influence over whatsoever, has been denied the right to study at her chosen University. This was the last step on her educational journey and her first step into personal independence. The implications of this could be devastating. Freya constantly 'accomodates' herself within an able bodied community. She already feels disadvantaged and this denial could completely shatter her confidence and destroy her motivation to succeed. She may feel that all she's done to 'fit in' and meet the standards set for educational success has been wasted. A dream that she has held and a plan that she will have already mapped out in her own mind has been taken away from her. It's not just her university place that's been removed, it's her future. Freya has said that she feels 'confused'. She does not understand why accomodation is not allocated according to physical need and priority and try as she might, she cannot get any answers. This feeling of mental paralysis, a feeling of being unable to change anything could have a major impact on her psychological well-being.