How can I support a student I am concerned about?
Many university staff will notice signs that give them cause for concern about a student’s wellbeing (This is explained on the ‘What are wellbeing or welfare concerns’ page).
Noticing and acting on concerns is important, but it is also imperative to only do so within the boundaries of your role. While College staff have a responsibility for supporting students, they are not expected to provide specialist pastoral care and should provide appropriate support only within the remit of their role. The Emergency Protocol can be found here.
A student may disclose something worrying, or you may observe behaviours or actions that give cause for concern. These may happen suddenly, or over a period of time. If possible, please be transparent with the student about your concerns: let them know what you have observed so they understand why you are concerned, ask them how they are, and let them know what support is available. This information can be found on the Student Support Hub.
It includes the Student Support team, as well as an external 24/7 support line from Spectrum Life on freephone: 0800 031 8227. There is also a list of specialist external organisations here.
Early referral and raising of concerns is encouraged to increase the opportunities for providing support and tackling problems at a stage when they are likely to be more manageable. Prompt action can also help to minimise the impact on other staff members and students.
Student Support can only work effectively with students if they are willing and open to seeking help and support. However, there will be circumstances when it will be necessary for the Student Support team to intervene, for example where there is clear and identified risk to the student, or others. Where a member of staff is concerned about the wellbeing of a student and needs to share information about the student with Student Support even if it is against the wishes of the student, it is best where possible to get the student’s consent before doing so. However, if the student does not give consent but there are clear concerns for their safety (and possibly others), it is important to escalate the concern via Report + Support.
Another option for staff is to contact student-support@rca.ac.uk and ask to speak to a member of staff for advice on the options for addressing the concerns you have about a student. This discussion could initially happen without the staff member sharing the student’s details, if confidentiality was a concern.
When supporting students experiencing difficulty, you can assist them in the following ways:
Notice - recognise the signs that give you concern
Respond - by acting on your concerns (by talking to the student, and/or discussing with a member of Student Support)
Assess - judge the severity and immediacy of the situation and what to do
Escalate - Report your wellbeing or welfare concerns through this Report and Support platform. The information that you submit is received by senior members of Student Support, read within one working day and appropriate action is taken within 48 hours, typically a lot sooner.
Alternatively, if the student prefers, you could refer the student directly to contact Student Support themselves either by:
- attending the Student Centre at Kensington
- emailing student-support@rca.ac.uk
- going on to the Student Support Moodle pages to access the virtual drop in or book an appointment with an advisor
Encourage the student to access their own support network e.g friends, family, GP