First reported 24 Jul 2019•Latest report 10 Jul 2024
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes university processes for identifying students whose academic absence, performance changes, work difficulties, neurodiversity or other circumstances indicate possible emerging mental-health need; proactive outreach and engagement; initial enquiry; referral or connection to support services; and coordination of ongoing support where these controls directly concern student mental-health safety.
Not included
Excludes general student mental-health service capacity or waiting-time deficiencies where the failure is not the university's identification, outreach or connection-to-support process.
Excludes generic academic performance monitoring, pastoral support or staff-training deficiencies unless they directly impair identification or support of students with emerging mental-health needs.
Excludes clinical mental-health assessment or treatment failures after a student has been reliably identified and connected to an appropriate service.
Excludes neutral descriptions of student mental-health prevalence, academic pressure or neurodiversity without an asserted failure of identification, engagement or support arrangements.
Excludes failures belonging to a separately named statutory, clinical or specialist mental-health pathway when that pathway provides the more specific supported boundary.
Reports
4
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
7
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2019–2024
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
8
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust1
Department for Education1
Department of Health and Social Care1
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust1
Health and Safety Executive1
Universities and Colleges Admissions Service1
Universities UK1
University of Reading1
University of Southampton1
University of the Arts London1
University3
Education admissions service1
Education sector body1
Ministerial department1
NHS trust1
Workplace safety regulator1
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
Berkshire
Concerns raised2
Failure to maintain contact with vulnerable students during unresolved academic situations
Risk of vulnerable taught research students being overlooked, isolated, or left in academic limbo
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
Action
Provide every Master’s by Research student with two academic points of contact and monthly meetings throughout the programme.
Stated by University of ReadingStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 29 July 2024.
Action
Flag vulnerable students discussing withdrawal or suspension to relevant Student Support Centres and Student Wellbeing Services teams.
Stated by University of ReadingStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 29 July 2024.
Action
Assign SDATs responsibility for ensuring Master’s by Research student-support processes are completed.
Stated by University of ReadingStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 29 July 2024.
Action
Implement an SDAT notification process using regular staff reminders, engagement reports and SSC-provided templates.
Stated by University of ReadingStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 29 July 2024.
Action
Circulate guidance instructing welfare officers on prescriptive escalation, clarifying welfare information, and promptly sharing high-risk concerns with SDATs.
Stated by University of ReadingStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 29 July 2024.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
Position
The organisation lacks regulatory authority to mandate specific mental-health actions by member universities.
Stated by Universities UKOutside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
Position
Individual universities are responsible for their own governance, procedures and decisions on specific mental-health actions.
Stated by Universities UKRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Position
Professional welfare support from central teams, alongside academic pastoral support, is considered more appropriate than restoring specialist welfare duties to Academic Tutors.
Stated by University of ReadingExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton
Concerns raised3
Failure to equip academic staff to identify and appropriately engage students with neurodiversity
Insufficient academic staff awareness and understanding of student mental health
Gap between academic assessment and pastoral support for students
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Inner North London
Concerns raised1
Failure to secure engagement with mental health support invitations
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
Action
Initiate pre- and post-enrolment email campaigns encouraging students with disclosed mental health conditions to engage with support services.
Stated by University of the Arts LondonStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 December 2019.
Action
Have Disability Advisers contact students who disclose disabilities and request support.
Stated by University of the Arts LondonStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 13 December 2019.
Action
Have Disability Advisers actively follow up students who have not engaged with support services.
Stated by University of the Arts LondonStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 13 December 2019.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Failure of universities to identify early signs of anxiety and mental health issues in students
This report raised 10 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Includes university processes for identifying students whose academic absence, performance changes, work difficulties, neurodiversity or other circumstances indicate possible emerging mental-health need; proactive outreach and engagement; initial enquiry; referral or connection to support services; and coordination of ongoing support where these controls directly concern student mental-health safety.
