In the wake of student suicides at the University of Bristol, the university introduced an"opt-in" system in which students can give consent for a parent, guardian or friend to be contacted if there are"serious concerns" about their well-being.
An inquest last year into the death of a University of Liverpool student, Ceara Thacker, heard that her family had not been informed about a previous suicide attempt three months before her death. But for students currently making choices about university applications, there is no simple way to see which universities might have an arrangement for families to be contacted.The higher education regulator, the Office for Students, says it does not keep a list of which universities offer such an option.
The admissions service says when a student discloses a mental health condition, they will usually be contacted by a"trained individual" from the university to"discuss what support the student needs".
Taking the choice away from someone can do more damage than good long term, it undermines trust in those they ask for help, which for some can be a nightmare of a struggle to even begin to ask for!
We still haven't addressed old problems properly that lead to mental health.
If the student is over 18 it should be the students choice if their parents know. Not everyone has a good relationship with their parents.