Concerned About a Student

If you believe there is an immediate life‑threatening risk or risk of significant harm to a student then you should contact the emergency services.

Call 999 (UK) and 112 (Netherlands).

If you have general concerns about a student's wellbeing, academic performance, attendance etc, we ask you to keep in regular contact with the student and encourage them to access university support via their student portal or Ask4help. 

We want every student to feel confident and independent as they navigate university life. That’s why we encourage them to take the lead when contacting university teams, requesting services, or raising concerns.

While we understand how much you care, parents and supporters aren’t usually able to make requests or act on a student’s behalf. This helps us respect their privacy and support their growth.

In rare situations, and only with the student’s written consent, we may communicate with a parent or supporter if we believe it’s in everyone’s best interests.

If you are seriously concerned about a student’s wellbeing and feel it’s important to share information with us, you can do so by contacting the University's Ask4Help service on 0191 227 4646.

When we receive your information, our team will review it carefully and take any steps we believe are appropriate to support the student.

The Counselling and Mental Health Support Team is not an emergency service.

• If you are concerned about a student and believe that they need immediate mental health support, please see our Need Help Now page.

• Current students should also see our Need Help Now page for immediate support options.

Staff play a crucial role in noticing when a student may be struggling, whether through changes in behaviour, engagement, or academic performance. Having a clear sense of what to do when something doesn’t seem quite right can help ensure the student gets the right support at the right time. 

If you are concerned or worried about a student, please refer to the the Staff Intranet.  

At Northumbria University, we recognise that good health and wellbeing are essential for academic and personal success. To help us provide the best support, there may be rare occasions when we need to speak to someone outside the University if we have serious concerns about a student’s safety or wellbeing. This person is known as the Trusted Contact. 

A Trusted Contact is different from a Next of Kin, although the same person can fulfil both roles. 

What is a Trusted Contact? 

A Trusted Contact should be a responsible adult the student knows and trusts, someone they are comfortable with us contacting about their welfare or wellbeing. This person does not have to be a relative. We encourage students to speak to their nominated Trusted Contact to ensure they are happy for their details to be shared with the University. 

What is a Next of Kin? 

Next of Kin refers to a student’s closest living relative by blood or legal relationship (such as a parent or spouse). This person may be required to make decisions on the student’s behalf or take legal responsibility if necessary. In most cases, the same person will act as both Trusted Contact and Next of Kin, but students can choose to nominate different individuals for each role. 

When do we collect these details? 

Students are asked to provide contact details for both a Trusted Contact and a Next of Kin during enrolment each academic year. These details can be updated at any time and should be kept current. 

Why is this important? 

Northumbria University has a responsibility to everyone who studies and works with us. We believe students should be involved in decisions about their care, including who is contacted if there are serious concerns about their safety or mental health. Having a nominated Trusted Contact helps us provide timely and effective support. 

Families, carers, and trusted contacts often play a vital role in supporting students at risk. This approach, sometimes called the triangle of care, works best when students, trusted contacts, and professionals collaborate to achieve the best outcomes. 

How and when we use Trusted Contact details. 

Our priority is always to speak to the student first and respect their wishes. However, if we believe their vital interests are at risk (for example, in an emergency or life-threatening situation), we may contact their Trusted Contact or Next of Kin without consent. 

We may involve a Trusted Contact if: 

• A student is admitted to hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries or health conditions (Next of Kin will be contacted in these cases). 
• There is reason to believe a student is missing. 
• Concerns are raised that a student’s behaviour is significantly out of character. 
• A student’s mental health has deteriorated to the point they cannot keep themselves safe. 
• A serious concern about a student’s wellbeing or safety is disclosed by someone who knows them or by another professional (e.g., healthcare, police). 
• These examples are not exhaustive and professionals involved in supporting students will assess each situation appropriately. 

You can find more information about trusted contacts on our  Safeguarding web page. 

Northumbria University has a general duty of care towards its students and takes reasonable steps to protect their health, safety, and wellbeing. The University provides substantial mental health and wellbeing services, primarily focused on early intervention, short term support, and promoting positive wellbeing, with the aim of empowering students to take charge of their own wellbeing and engage with their studies. The University cannot provide diagnosis or long term clinical treatment for mental health conditions, and will support students to connect with external mental health services when needed. Students experiencing acute mental health or mental health crisis are directed to professional providers such as the NHS, local trusts, or emergency services, as the University is not an emergency or statutory health body and does not provide acute or clinical mental health treatment.  

Prospective students with existing mental health conditions, or those already engaged with external services, are encouraged to get in touch prior to starting at Northumbria so that a support plan can be coordinated. Our accessibility service can offer support for students with long term mental health conditions.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing service can be reached by contacting the University's Ask4Help service on 0191 227 4646 and further details about safeguarding policies are available on the University’s Safeguarding web page.