Ms Lisa Hanlon:

I do not have specific facts but a much higher rate come through DARE because they have been diagnosed earlier and encouraged by the school as if they come in through DARE, they can come in on lower points. They also easily meet the threshold for funding because of the nature of their diagnoses and the paperwork. DARE is the most common route for most students. If they do not need the points they can come in without going through DARE, in which case they must choose to self-identify to the disability service. We do not know about them unless they come to us to look for support. A lot of students do not do so because they would prefer to get by without people knowing. We may only know if an issue comes up and this might not happen until a student is on work placement. Going from school academia through to college academia can provide a safety net, especially if people have chosen a course specific to their interests and strengths. It is in a work placement where an issue might come up. This can lead to crisis management after an issue has occurred in a work placement. This is when we might first become aware of somebody.