Booked Session Policy

What is a Booked Session?

A Booked Session is a support session that has been arranged with the Client in advance, where both the Support Worker and Client have confirmed that they will be attending on the agreed date, at the agreed time and at the agreed location. A support session can only be a Booked Session if the Support Worker has received an Assignment Confirmation from Clear Links confirming the type of support and amount of hours.

If one or both parties have not confirmed in advance that they will be attending the session, or the Support Worker does not have an Assignment Confirmation for the support, then the session is not classed as a Booked Session.

Changes to a Booked Session

There may be times when a Client wishes to make changes to a Booked Session. They may wish to change the length of the session, the date of the session and the time of the session. This ‘new’ session will then become the Booked Session, and the original session will be cancelled, but only if:

• A Client requests these changes more than 24 hours in advance of the original Booked Session
• The Support Worker is available for the new session
• The session length and the hours are in line with the Support Worker’s Assignment Confirmation and the maximum session length for that Support Role

A Client may make changes to a Booked Session with less than 24 hours notice. If the changes mean that the hours of the new session are less than those in the original Booked Session, then the Support Worker may claim for the amount of hours confirmed for the original Booked Session.

Failure to Cancel a Booked Session

Clear Links monitors attendance at support sessions. Clear Links will endeavour not to charge funding bodies for any Booked Sessions the Client has failed to cancel (FtC) which have not been investigated.

Clear Links takes all possible steps to minimise the number of FtC sessions charged to funding bodies. At the outset of the support process, Clients are presented with a document explaining the terms and conditions on which support is offered. When the support is initially discussed with the Client, and prior to any appointments being made, the importance of attendance is stressed. We draw the Client’s attention to the fact that if they miss Booked Sessions regularly without good reason their funding body may withdraw support.

Clear Links Support Workers are advised that cancellation of a Booked Session at short notice (less than 24 hours), or non-attendance by the Client, will be paid in full. Therefore it is Clear Links’ policy to make a charge to the Client’s DSA for missed sessions if less than 24 hours' notice of cancellation is given. Support Workers must inform Clear Links promptly about any short notice cancellation or non-attendance.

Clear Links Support Workers are also advised that they are obliged to wait for 15 minutes if the Client has not arrived. If the Client does not arrive during this time the Support Worker is advised that they may leave and claim for the confirmed Booked Session.

If the Client has not definitely confirmed their attendance prior to the appointment then the Support Worker will not be entitled to claim for the Booked Session and a charge will not be made.

If there are two or more sessions pre-booked with a Client and the first is cancelled, Support Workers are advised that any subsequent session is not classed as a booked session until they have received confirmation from the Client that the ensuing session will go ahead.

The Client terms of support include the automatic suspension of sessions following two successive missed appointments without satisfactory explanation or adequate notice. Support Sessions will only be resumed after a referral back to the institution at which the Client is studying. Support is re-arranged when Clear Links receives confirmation from the institution that they have checked the circumstances related to the lack of attendance, and have agreed strategies that will result in future attendance. Clients are also advised that a continuing pattern of poor attendance, or unexplained absences, is likely to result in the withdrawal of support by their funding body.

Clear Links’ practice is in line with the guidance provided by Student Finance England in the “Your questions answered” document on the DSA page of the Practitioner’s website.