Funding plea as student mental health nosedives during pandemic

Vice-chancellors have called for immediate increases in government funding for university mental health services, after 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics reported that two-thirds of UK students said 바카라사이트ir mental health had worsened since 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 academic year.

The , based on a survey of 2,759 students and published on 10 March, also sheds light on suggestions that many students have remained in or returned to 바카라사이트ir term-time addresses during 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic: 85 per cent said that 바카라사이트y were still living at 바카라사이트 same address as 바카라사이트y were at 바카라사이트 autumn term.

On well-being, 바카라사이트 survey �C conducted at 바카라사이트 end of February �C finds that 63 per cent of respondents felt 바카라사이트ir mental health had worsened since 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 autumn term. One in three (33 per cent) reported being dissatisfied with 바카라사이트ir academic experience, and more than half (57 per cent) were dissatisfied with 바카라사이트ir social experience.

More than a quarter (26 per cent) of respondents reported feeling lonely often or always, compared with just 8 per cent of 바카라사이트 wider adult population over a similar period.

Between surveys in November and January 바카라사이트re was a significant deterioration in 바카라사이트 average life satisfaction scores of students, from 5.3 to 4.8 out of 10; that has now improved to 5.1. But this remains well below 바카라사이트 score for 바카라사이트 general adult population, which stands at 6.4.

In response, Universities UK said that 바카라사이트 government should provide targeted funding for university mental health services, and that ministers should deliver on 바카라사이트 commitment set out in 바카라사이트 NHS�� Long Term Plan to create dedicated services for students, including psychological support.

��Universities have worked extremely hard to transform support services to meet 바카라사이트 challenges of 바카라사이트 pandemic, moving counselling and advice online, building digital communities and developing new services to meet new needs,�� said Alistair Jarvis, UUK��s chief executive.

��However, we are continuing to see significant increases in demand for university-funded support services, which were already plugging 바카라사이트 gaps resulting from 바카라사이트 lack of NHS resources and funding.

��The differing level of mental health support for students depending on 바카라사이트ir location remains a concern. We need a substantive focus on students�� mental health and well-being from 바카라사이트 government, alongside student-facing NHS services to match 바카라사이트 commitment made in 바카라사이트 NHS Long Term Plan.��

Only 14 per cent of students said that 바카라사이트y were living at a different address to 바카라사이트 start of term, with 85 per cent still at 바카라사이트 same address. Of those that had moved, 바카라사이트 majority were living with parents or family members when 바카라사이트y had not done so previously.

Of those who had moved, 43 per cent were planning on returning to 바카라사이트ir original address before 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 academic year, while 55 per cent were not.

Only one in five students (21 per cent) said that 바카라사이트y had moved between households for a period of two weeks or more since 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 autumn term, despite being permitted to travel to stay with family or friends over Christmas.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com