Concerns are being raised over the mental health support available to college students, in light of a Tes Scotland survey revealing the vast disparities in services across Scotland’s FE sector.
The survey of 12 of Scotland’s 20 colleges shows that while some colleges have several dedicated staff trained in how to support students with mental health issues, others have no specialised staff in this area.
The findings come amid warnings from both student and college leaders that the mental health of students is worsening.
Only two colleges said that they employed a full-time dedicated member of staff to provide mental health support: Ayrshire College has a full-time qualified mental health nurse liaison officer, while City of Glasgow College has a full-time student counsellor with a postgraduate diploma in person-centred counselling, as well as student advisers trained in Scotland’s mental health first-aid course. Other staff have also received “relevant training”, a spokesperson said.
Support undermined
But New College Lanarkshire told Tes Scotland that it does not employ “qualified mental health support staff dedicated to student support”. Instead, a team of student advisers - most of whom hold a counselling qualification “or other relevant qualifications and experience” - provide a drop-in and appointment-based service. Plans are in place to ensure more staff have relevant training, a spokeswoman added.
Edinburgh College said it offers training for staff in mental health first aid, suicide awareness and intervention-skills training - and all Edinburgh College students’ association staff and full-time student officers are trained in Scotland’s mental health first-aid course.
But the union Unison said that all colleges needed “dedicated staff members who can drop everything if required and take the time and space needed to address an individual’s needs”. This was being undermined by “an ongoing cull” of support staff, a spokesperson added.
They said: “In an area as important as a student’s mental health, we absolutely cannot afford to cut corners - or staff numbers - without very serious consequences. Colleges must invest in more staff in this key area.”
In February, a survey of English colleges by the Association of Colleges reported 85 per cent of members saw an increase in mental health issues among students over the past three years. Almost three-quarters of FE colleges also referred students with mental health issues to an accident and emergency department in the last academic year.
Varied approach ‘concerning’
A separate UK report earlier this year, by the NUS students’ union, revealed students feel college staff lack training in mental health awareness, despite a large proportion of colleges having some staff trained in mental health first aid.
NUS Scotland president Luke Humberstone said: “It’s concerning to see such varying levels of mental health support, particularly when those services that do exist play such a huge role in supporting students with mental ill health to access and succeed in education.”
Research carried out by the union last year found a 47 per cent rise over five years in the number of college and university students attempting to access mental health services.
Mr Humberstone said: “There are examples of great work being done to promote positive mental health and wellbeing across colleges in Scotland. However, there is much more to be done to improve provision and ensure that all students can access the same level of support.”
Colleges Scotland chief executive Shona Struthers said the mental health and wellbeing of students was “extremely important”.
She said: “Many colleges are now taking a whole-college approach to supporting student mental health including developing mental health strategies, undertaking training and appointing staff to support this.”
