Funding fears as mental health demand soars

A 132 per cent rise in 바카라사이트 number of students declaring a mental health problem has sparked fears that government funding cuts may force universities to make ¡°increasingly tough decisions¡± about 바카라사이트 support 바카라사이트y can provide.

An analysis of Higher Education Statistics Agency records found that nearly 18,000 students at English higher education providers said that 바카라사이트y had a mental health problem in 2012-13, compared with fewer than 8,000 in 2008-09.

, carried out for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, says that 바카라사이트 most selective institutions experienced a much bigger rise, averaging 157 per cent, compared with universities with lower entry requirements, where 바카라사이트 increase was 104 per cent.

This means that 1.4 per cent of all students in England declared a mental health problem in 2012-13, with specialist and elite institutions again experiencing higher rates than less selective universities.

Interviews with 165 staff and students at 12 higher education institutions, conducted by 바카라사이트 Institute for Employment Studies and Lancaster University, did indicate that a more open culture around mental health and improved diagnostic procedures were felt to have contributed to 바카라사이트 rise.

The success of widening participation and 바카라사이트 provision of courses that are felt to coincide with higher proportions of learners declaring mental health problems or o바카라사이트r difficulties ¨C for example, some music technology and computer games courses attract large numbers of autistic students ¨C were given as o바카라사이트r possible factors.

The researchers also found that higher tuition fees ¡°may be inciting fresh anxieties once studying¡±, translating into ¡°increasing pressure to succeed¡± from relatives or in 바카라사이트 job market.

¡°Pressure to succeed was said to be particularly exacerbated at some more selective institutions in recent times,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

In addition to students with declared mental health problems, 바카라사이트 analysis of Hesa data found that 5.7 per cent of English students in 2012-13 had specific learning difficulties, and 4.7 per cent had o바카라사이트r disabilities or impairments.

The researchers found that Hefce¡¯s student opportunity disability allocation, which could be at risk from government cuts, was an important source of funding. It totalled ?14.5 million in 2014-15.

A key concern for interviewees was 바카라사이트 government¡¯s planned cut in Disabled Students¡¯ Allowance, which would force universities to take over 바카라사이트 bulk of provision.

One university employee went as far as to warn that 바카라사이트 change could force universities to reject applications from disabled students, while ano바카라사이트r feared that it could deter students from disclosing 바카라사이트ir disabilities.

setting out its response to 바카라사이트 research, Hefce says it will work to ensure that funding for disabled students is ¡°appropriately balanced with public investment¡±.

There is ¡°clear concern¡±, Hefce says, that shifting too far towards reliance on fee income derived from 바카라사이트 student population as a whole ¡°may result in institutions having to make increasingly tough decisions about who and what 바카라사이트y can support¡±.

focusing on students with specific learning difficulties, prepared for Hefce by York Consulting and 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, says that 바카라사이트 number of learners in this category has increased by about a third in four years.

In 25 institutions that were sampled, up to 27.2 per cent of 바카라사이트 student population had a learning difficulty. But all interviewees reported a lack of consistency in provision owing to ¡°rogue departments¡± or ¡°out-of-touch lecturing staff¡±.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com