Parents of Cornish student back parliamentary petition against university suicides
The parents of Harry Armstrong Evans say their petition 'Harry's Law' would be a first step
The parents of a Cornish student who lost his life to suicide are continuing to call for information on suicides at university to be made publicly available.
21-year-old Harry Armstrong Evans was a third-year Physics and Astrophysics student at the University of Exeter. He died in June 2021 at his home in Launceston.
Today, a group #ForThe100 are due to hand in petition to 10 Downing Street to "save students and prevent university suicides" which aims to combat a lack of statutory obligation in Higher Education - and shift focus towards university management.
The petition from the group has received 128,293 signatures to support that universities are made legally accountable for how students are treated, as well as discussing delivery of sufficient care in providing educational and pastoral students to students.
It will be handed over by family members who have been affected by student suicide.
Alice told Hits Radio Cornwall: "We lost Harry and when I rang up and asked them if it was unusual, they couldn't answer me and they didn't answer me.
"It was just very difficult as a bereaved parent to discover how many students take their lives. I discovered that actually no universities kept any record of student suicide. I know that Harry's Law would save future students lives."
The parents of Harry previously launched a separate parliamentary petition "Harry's Law" to try and stop other families experiencing grief like theirs.
Alice and Rupert Armstrong Evans are continuing to call on the Government to adopt a new piece of legislation, making it a requirement for universities to publish annually, their student suicide rates.
Rupert Armstrong Evans, Harry's father, added: "We are all concerned about the duty of care. What we're concentrating on is just getting the information out there.
"Alice contacted some of the 140 members of University UK and only one university said they were interested in information being shared with coroners. The reason we're asking for information to be shared by coroners is because it's very difficult to get hold of. The numbers appear to be two or three times the figure that one is able to get hold of."
What is Harry's Law?
Harry’s Law' - as it's being called - would mean:
- Coroners would inform universities when the suicide of an enrolled student is registered
- Universities would publish annually the suicide rate of enrolled students
- There would be new powers to place universities into ‘special measures’ where suicide rates exceed that of the national average.
In a statement at the time of Harry Armstrong Evans' inquest, his father Rupert said: "It's obviously an absolutely appalling thing that you think couldn't possibly happen to your own children. Our reason for going public on this is to try and stop it from ever happening again.
"And it's completely unnecessary. If it's out in the open and people come together to come up with the best solution, I'm quite sure it can be overcome."
Read more:
Parents of Cornish student who took his own life launch 'Harry's Law' petition