Raising Concerns for a Student

13 Falmouth University students in different coloured tops stood against a white wall and on a white staircase.

Advice for families and friends of current students

There are many reasons why parents, carers, friends or relatives may be worried about a student while they’re at Falmouth University. Cornwall can feel far away from home, and you might not know how best to support them.

This page covers some of the steps you can take to help your student access support, as well as what you can do if you want to raise a concern with us.

Is it an emergency?

We are unable to offer an emergency service or crisis support. If you have concerns for the immediate safety or welfare of a student, please call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

For any physical injury or severe symptoms (e.g. pain, vomiting, bleeding) call NHS 111.

Helping you support your student

We offer a range of services to help our students stay safe and well during their time at university. Students can access drop-in appointments Monday-Friday all year round, where they will meet with a member of the Student Support Team to discuss any challenges they are facing. In addition, we also offer access to free 24/7 talking therapies by phone or online via a partner, peer support groups, chaplaincy, around the clock security, referral to other services and more.

You can encourage your student to get in touch with our services directly if they need support. Find out more information and how to get in touch on the following pages.

General tips for supporting someone at university

Your support is crucial as your student navigates university life. Here are some ways you can help:

Offer help with everyday tasks like budgeting or organising their schedule.

Remind them that it’s okay to face challenges and that you’re there for them.

Regular communication can help them feel connected and supported.

Let them know they can always reach out to you if they need help or just want to talk.

By paying attention when they talk and validating their feelings you can help by showing that you understand how they feel.

Meet the team

Our friendly and professional team of advisors and practitioners are here to offer support for students.

They bring a range of backgrounds, skills and expertise to the role and work with our students to help them access the right support for them. Here are some of the people they might meet during their time at Falmouth University.

Meet The Student Support Team | Ross

Meet The Student Support Team | Gemma

Meet The Student Support Team | Kate

How we communicate with you and the student

We take our duty of care very seriously, but we are also legally obligated to treat our students as independent adults. This means without a students’ consent we are unable to discuss any aspect of their studies or personal life with you.

Here’s some key points regarding what we can and can’t do:

What we can do:

Provide the opportunity for you to raise a concern by completing our Raise a concern form
Listen to your concerns and respond accordingly, where appropriate.
Talk you through our range of support services.
Provide advice and information about supporting your student.
Talk with a student about giving us consent to share information with you.
Follow our safeguarding policy if the information you share leads us to believe that there is imminent risk of harm.

What we can’t do:

Discuss any personal information about a student at Falmouth University without the student’s explicit and informed written consent. We recognise that this can be frustrating, but we still do our best to help while maintaining confidentiality.
Inform you of any actions we take without the explicit and informed consent of your student. This sometimes means that we are unable to provide you with updates on our actions. Please be assured that we take all concerns shared with us very seriously.
Force students to give us consent to share information with their parents, friends or relatives. We do, however, have conversations with students about giving consent and how this might help in ensuring they get all the support they need.

When should I raise a concern

If you're having difficulty reaching a student, or notice signs of distress or unusual behaviour, it's important to take action. You might observe a decline in their mental or physical health, or you may be unsure how to navigate the available support options.

If you're concerned, get in touch with us using our Raise a Concern form. Our team is here to help, but please note that we review submissions during our office hours:

Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.

Raise a concern

In an emergency where you believe someone is at immediate risk of harm, always call 999.