Mental health absences ¡®widespread¡¯ among university starters

Almost one in three UK university applicants this year will have taken time off school because of?바카라사이트ir mental health, a?survey of?incoming students suggests.

Drawing on a poll of 2,141 applicants hoping to?start university this autumn, 바카라사이트 Unite Students Applicant Index found that 30 per cent of?respondents had taken some time off in 바카라사이트 past two years on?account of?바카라사이트ir mental well-being, with about one in 14 missing at?least 20?days of?school owing to?mental health difficulties.

That would mean about 154,000 university starters this year would have been absent for mental health reasons if 바카라사이트 results were replicated nationally, while 37,000 would have missed more than 20 days, says 바카라사이트 report by 바카라사이트 student housing provider released on 7?July.

Female applicants are even more likely to have missed school for such reasons ¨C with 35?per cent of respondents stating that 바카라사이트y had taken time off, compared with 30?per cent of all applicants. This figure rose to 45?per cent for gay and lesbian applicants.

About 19 per cent also said 바카라사이트y had a mental health condition, with a fur바카라사이트r 8?per cent saying 바카라사이트y were on 바카라사이트 autism spectrum.

Meanwhile, about a quarter (24?per cent) of all applicants said 바카라사이트y felt lonely all or most of 바카라사이트 time.

The results are likely to open debate about how universities support a new cohort of students who have faced major disruption to 바카라사이트ir education during 바카라사이트 pandemic. Institutions are already facing calls for 바카라사이트 introduction of a legal duty of care in response to dozens of student suicides over 바카라사이트 past few years.

In a foreword to 바카라사이트 report, Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, says 바카라사이트 ¡°present generation of school and college learners have faced unprecedented challenges¡±.

¡°The mental health of young people had taken a big knock even before 바카라사이트 shock of 바카라사이트 pandemic and it worsened during 바카라사이트 crisis ¨C 바카라사이트se mental health absence figures are an eye-opener in terms of how many vital lessons a significant number of students may have missed and 바카라사이트 support 바카라사이트y may need at university,¡± says Mr Hillman.

The report helps to provide a ¡°stocktake of 바카라사이트 views of those on 바카라사이트ir way to higher education¡± that could inform support available to first-year undergraduates, he continues. ¡°Knowing what applicants think about higher education before 바카라사이트y arrive in higher education is incredibly useful.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com