Student suicide duty of care to be debated in Westminster
#Forthe100 calls on universities to have a legal duty of care to students
A campaign to try and lower the number of students dying by suicide is being debated in parliament today.
The #ForThe100 campaign wants to make universities more accountable for student's wellbeing.
It's being led by the families who've lost loved ones, including the parents of Oskar Carrick, a Sheffield Hallam University student who took his own life.
Oskar (pictured above) died in June 2021, two months after a previous attempt to take his own life in April.
The 21-year-old’s parents, who live in Cumbria, say concerns about his mental health hadn’t been passed onto them and they weren’t told about him being taken to hospital two months earlier.
'If somebody had just rung us, we might be in a different situation'
Oscar's parents have joined with other parents as part of the #ForThe100 campaign, which is calling for universities to have a legal duty of care to protect students from reasonably foreseeable harm.
It would bring them in line with schools and make them more accountable for students’ wellbeing.
The campaign will be debated by MPs this afternoon after an online petition gained more than 128,000 signatures.
“If Oskar had been a dog I don’t think he would have been allowed to live in that situation,” says Oskar’s mum, Maxine Carrick.
“I think somebody would’ve removed him. But as a person he was just left and told to go to sleep, and it would be alright in the morning. But that wasn’t the case.
“If somebody had just taken the bull by the horns and rung us, we might be in a different situation.”
The group says an estimated 100 students in higher education die by suicide each year, and Maxine believes the new law would help reduce that number:
“We’re fighting for Oskar, although it’s not going to make a difference to him. It is going to make a difference to his friends, and to his sisters who are at university.
“We’re talking every few days a student is taking their own life for various reasons. We’re not that naïve that we think this is a magic bullet, but it would go a very, very long way.
“With Oskar’s case there was clear concern from staff and it wasn’t being acted on. So it’s making sure that that concern is passed on and the person who it’s passed onto knows what to do with it. Rather than this kind of ‘is it my job, is it not?’ and people being concerned about overstepping the line and breaking GDPR and getting into trouble that way.
“It would make it that they HAVE to act. They can’t just sit there and say: ‘it’s just guidance, we don’t have to do that’.”
A Sheffield Hallam University spokesperson said: “The University community was saddened by the loss of Oskar, and we would like to again offer our deepest condolences to his family and friends.
“The inquest into Oskar’s tragic death did not reference any failings on the part of the University. The coroner also commented that she was content the University was engaging with discussions surrounding consent on a sector-wide national level.
“We take supporting our students’ mental health and wellbeing extremely seriously. In recent years we have significantly increased resources to provide access to a wide range of support services, whilst every student has access to dedicated advisors. The University also works closely with the Students’ Union, the city council and local health authorities to help keep our communities safe.”
Natasha Abrahart
The parents of Natasha Abrahart from Nottingham who also died by suicide whilst at university say they're waiting to get their life 'back on track'.
Natasha Abrahart, from West Bridgford, struggled with social anxiety and took her own life on the day of an oral exam at The University of Bristol in 2018.
Natasha's dad, Bob, said it's like their life has been on pause for the past five years:
'When Natasha died, we didn't understand what the processes involved were. As we've progressed through the different courts, for the past five years now, we've come to understand there's a huge gap in the protection afforded to students.'
'Students should be protected to a minimum level, the same level you have in employment, and hopefully that will lead to, not just fewer deaths, but a better overall experience for students at higher education institutions.'
Universities spokesperson says the duty of care would be the best way forward
Professor Steve West CBE, President of Universities UK, said:
“Universities prioritise the mental health of students and staff and are particularly focused on preventing student suicide. Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy and we are committed to working with bereaved families to learn from these deaths.
“Record numbers of children and young adults are now experiencing poor mental health and this is reflected in growing student need. Although universities are investing in student support and developing partnerships with NHS services, their primary role is as settings for adult learning not health care.
“We do not believe the proposed additional statutory duty of care, beyond the existing duties that already apply to universities, would be practical, proportionate, or the best approach to supporting students.
“We continue to work with the government, and its Student Support Champion Professor Edward Peck, on proposals to improve outcomes for students.”
Help available
If you, or someone you know is suffering with their mental health, or experiencing suicidal thoughts, you can speak to your GP.
You can also find help and advice from these services:
Samaritans or call 116123
Mind or call 0300 123 3393
If someone's life is in danger - call 999 immediately.