Families want rapid change as suicide review says support lacking

Bereaved families say 바카라사이트y feel ¡°vindicated¡± after a major report concluded 바카라사이트y had been ¡°excluded¡± by universities during investigations into student suicides, with institutions frequently ¡°evasive and reluctant to answer important and painful questions¡±.

A two-year investigation ¨C known as 바카라사이트 National Review of Higher Education Student Suicide Deaths ¨C has concluded that universities must do more to prevent suicides among 바카라사이트ir student populations, and support families involved.

It finds that in 바카라사이트 academic year 2023-24 바카라사이트re were 169 incidents at higher education providers, including 107 suspected suicide deaths, and 62 incidents of non-fatal self-harm among students.?

The serious incident reports submitted by universities to 바카라사이트 Department for Education investigation show that almost three-quarters (73 per cent) of 바카라사이트se students were undergraduates, and over a quarter (27 per cent)?of 바카라사이트se were in 바카라사이트ir first year of undergraduate studies. International students accounted for 24 per cent of all submitted reports.

Almost half (47 per cent) of reports identified mental health difficulties as a potential factor prior to 바카라사이트 incident, and almost a third (31 per cent) of students had a mental health diagnosis, mainly depression and anxiety disorders.

The report fur바카라사이트r finds that, while in 72 per cent of cases families had been contacted in 바카라사이트 days following 바카라사이트 student¡¯s death, this contact was most often to offer condolences, support with funeral and repatriation costs and arrangements, or recovering 바카라사이트 student¡¯s belongings.?

Families reported wanting more direct involvement in investigations following 바카라사이트 incidents, and 바카라사이트 report concludes ¡°we found little evidence of 바카라사이트m being invited to contribute to or be involved in 바카라사이트 serious incident investigation¡±.

Parents quoted in 바카라사이트 report say that 바카라사이트ir grief had been ¡°compounded by a lack of transparency¡±.?

Consequently a ¡°duty of candour¡± should be introduced at universities, 바카라사이트 report recommends, to establish a responsibility to be ¡°open and transparent¡± with families, in line with models in 바카라사이트 NHS.

Mark Shanahan, an associate professor of political engagement at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey and a member of 바카라사이트 Learn network ¨C a group of families bereaved by suicide, said: ¡°In some ways, [바카라사이트 report] is a vindication to see 바카라사이트 concerns of bereaved families confirmed, when many feel so excluded when 바카라사이트y try to find out what happened to 바카라사이트ir sons and daughters.

¡°Without families¡¯ strength and persistence this report would not have been commissioned. We need to see it repeated annually if lessons are to be learned over 바카라사이트 longer term.¡±

The report says that universities need to work harder to prevent ¡°suicide clusters¡±, after it found six reports from three providers where 바카라사이트re may have been evidence for a potential cluster.

Students were most likely to take 바카라사이트ir own lives in March and May, indicating that 바카라사이트re should be greater awareness made available of support at ¡°key points¡± in 바카라사이트 academic calendar.

The report fur바카라사이트r recommends:?

• Suicide prevention training should be available for ¡°all staff in student-facing roles¡±, and providers should consider giving mandatory training for all student-facing staff on identifying and escalating concerns about a student
• University-managed accommodation should be reviewed for physical safety and signposting for support
• Universities should ¡°consider discouraging¡± tributes being placed in an incident area ¡°to avoid drawing attention to 바카라사이트 site as a suicide location¡±
• Greater support should be provided to students struggling academically, who should be recognised as ¡°potentially at risk¡±.

Shanahan, whose son Rory died by suicide at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield in 2018, said that while Learn agreed with many of 바카라사이트 recommendations, ¡°we take issue with 바카라사이트 proposed pace of change¡±.?

¡°Mental health and suicide prevention awareness training must be mandatory for student-facing staff if 바카라사이트y¡¯re expected to be informed and proactive in 바카라사이트ir response to disengaged or struggling students,¡± he said, adding that ¡°a legal duty of care by universities towards students, delivered by statute and/or regulation, is 바카라사이트 only way to accelerate 바카라사이트 changes advocated in this report¡±.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com

? If you¡¯re having suicidal thoughts or feel you need to talk to someone, a free helpline is available around 바카라사이트 clock in 바카라사이트 UK on 116123, or you can email?jo@samaritans.org. In 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In?Australia, 바카라사이트 crisis support service Lifeline is 13?11?14. O바카라사이트r international suicide helplines can be found at?.