Students with Mental Health Difficulties
(annex to Equality and Diversity Policy)
1.
POLICY STATEMENT
Sunderland College welcomes learners with disabilities including those with
mental health difficulties and aims to provide the appropriate support,
resources, facilities, and services to enable all students to be successful in
their chosen programme of study. We recognise that everyone is unique and
we will work with learners to identify any barriers that exist and what can be
done to overcome them. This includes the adoption of a zero tolerance
approach to discrimination and programmes of positive action to eliminate
the stigma of mental health difficulty.
2.
STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES

Disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial
and long-term adverse effect on a person's ability to carry out normal day-today activities. Thus, it will include students with mental health difficulties,
including anxiety, long-term depression and schizophrenia.

The College has a duty of care to its students and specific legal
responsibilities towards those whose mental conditions fall within the
definition of disability under the Disability Discrimination Act Part 4 and
latterly the Equality Act 2010.

The college acknowledges that responsibility for this Policy Annex lies not
only with named officers and functions, but with all staff, and that the whole
of the college community will participate in its implementation.

The College welcomes applications from students with disabilities, including
those with mental health difficulties, and all applicants are assured that any
pre-existing mental health difficulty should not adversely affect any decision
regarding their application. Applicants who have experienced, or are
continuing to experience, mental health difficulties are encouraged to declare
this by whichever means most suitable to them as this enables Learning
Support and Student Services to make early contact with the individual to
discuss how best their needs can be supported once they have arrived at
College.

Sunderland College aims to provide a supportive environment that will help
students with mental health difficulties to realise their full academic potential
and to successfully complete their course. It also aims to facilitate and
promote positive mental health and well-being by:
-
Providing a range of support services in the college including:
■
■
■
■
Information, Advice and Guidance
Counselling/Welfare Services
Learning Mentor Support
Additional learning support
Personal Tutorial Support
■ Referral to relevant external agencies such as
NHS provision or Voluntary Service
-
-

Meeting the support and study needs of students with mental health
difficulties
Encouraging students with mental health difficulties to seek support
Promoting, via staff development, an understanding and recognition
of mental health difficulties by staff
Identifying Learning Support Directorate staff to lead on Mental
Health (i.e. Disability Advisor – Mental Health; Lead Mentor – Mental
Health
Promoting awareness of Mental Health issues such as stigma through
college wide events and projects in line with National and
International developments (e.g. World Mental Health Day)
Providing guidance and training to staff involved in the support and
care of those with mental health difficulties
Providing clear guidance on the confidentiality of personal information
provided by students.
Ensuring that the sources of support are clearly communicated to both
prospective and current students
Establishing consistent procedures across the College for helping
students with mental health difficulties
Establishing effective procedures for helping students in crisis.
Helping Students in Crisis
-
There may be occasions when a student's behaviour causes concern
in which urgent action is required. In such cases, the Director of
Learning Support should be contacted. In an emergency, he/she will
assess the situation and will contact the appropriate agencies.
Assessment under the Mental Health Act may be required.
- It may be the case that a psychiatric assessment is needed in order to
establish whether it would be appropriate for the learner to continue
with her/his studies or would benefit from some time out of the
college. If the student has insight into their condition and is prepared
to accept help, a referral will usually be made to the local Mental
Health Team via the student's GP (family doctor).

It is important that students with mental health difficulties can feel assured
that any information they provide will be treated as confidential and that it
will not harm their academic standing. All staff are required to observe
confidentiality in accordance with the Data Protection Policy and the
requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.

The aim of this policy annex is to have a clear and transparent mechanism for
communicating information to those who need to know about a student's
disability and is based upon obtaining the student's written informed consent
to disclosure. Some students, however, will choose to withhold their consent
and it is always important to respect a student's right to confidentiality.
However, confidentiality can become an issue if there are real concerns about
a student's well being. It is acknowledged that disclosure without consent can
be justified in the public interest to either: a) prevent serious harm, b) to aid
in the prevention or detection of a serious crime.
(In all cases students will be informed in advance that disclosure
may be necessary if they or others are considered to be at risk of
harm - unless this in itself may cause harm)
3.
EXPLANATION OF KEY TERMS
3.1
Mental Health Difficulties Signs and Symptoms
The term mental health difficulty encompasses a range of conditions. Mental
health can be viewed most usefully as a continuum of experience from wellbeing through to a severe and debilitating long-term illness. Mental health
difficulties can present in a wide variety of ways, depending on the individual,
and changes in people's mood and personality can provide important
indicators, although clearly it is not possible to make such a comparison when
dealing with someone for the first time.
The terms listed below, whilst not exhaustive indicate some common forms of
Mental Health difficulties:
- Anxiety; Agitation, disturbed sleep pattern, significant changes in appetite,
headaches, digestive difficulties, panic attacks
- Depression; Low mood, lack of motivation, sense of emptiness,
withdrawal, change of appetite, self neglect, self loathing, thoughts of
hurting or killing oneself.
- Mania; Elated mood, rapid speech, little sleep, relentless high energy,
reckless behaviour, delusions or hallucinations. Mania with depression forms
bi-polar disorder which is characterised by unstable behaviour patterns and
mood swings.
- Schizophrenia; Disordered thoughts, loss of contact with reality, hearing
voices, hallucinations, the person believing that others are controlling their
thoughts or actions, loss of emotional experience or paranoia.
- Psychosis; Schizophrenia is the most common 'psychotic condition', a
broad term used when the person loses contact with reality. Other
conditions, such as anxiety, depression and mania can manifest some
psychotic symptoms if sufficiently intense.
- Anorexia Nervosa; An eating disorder characterised by extreme fear of
being fat, distorted body image, extremely low dietary intake, excessive
exercise.
- Bulimia; An eating disorder characterised by binge eating, induced
vomiting, induced diarrhoea. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Repetition of
behaviours, rituals, checking, ruminating, repetitive thoughts.
- Panic Disorder; An abrupt surge of intense anxiety manifested through
breathing difficulty, palpitations, feelings on unreality, pains or tightness in
the chest, trembling, dizziness, feeling unsteady, sweating, feeling faint, a
fear of losing control or even of dying, tingling in hands and feet.
- Phobias; Intense fear, usually with one focus such as heights, rats,
spiders, social situations.
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; A prolonged, abnormal and often
delayed response to events such as a personal assault or natural disaster.
Symptoms include anxiety, insomnia, detachment.
- Self-harm; can include cutting, slicing, burning, bumping into walls/doors,
pulling of hair. Some students always wear long sleeves.
3.2
Disability Related Discrimination – is defined as less favourable
treatment of a disabled person for a reason relating to her/his impairment or
condition. For example a student with a mental health difficulty is told she
must not carry medication with her at college because of a strict policy that
does not allow drugs on the premises.
3.3
Impact Assessment – refers to a detailed and systematic analysis of the
actual or potential effects of a formal or informal policy, proposed policy,
practice, procedure or process to determine whether it has a differential
impact upon identifiable groups of people.
4.
COLLEGE PROCEDURES
4.1
Help and Support Services (Mental Health Difficulty/Welfare)
Counselling/ Welfare Services:

Staff in the Counselling team provide a free and confidential service to all
students. Learners are offered an interview where problems and possible
therapy options are discussed. Issues can range from academic difficulties,
through emotional, sexual, family and mental health concerns as these arise
during the stresses of transition and re-adjustment in student life.
Appropriate referral procedures exist with external referral agencies.
The Disability Advisor Team (DAT)

The DAT provides services for students with all disabilities including those
with mental health difficulties. It exists to provide assessment and support
and to advise other college staff on how to support such learners. The DAT
assesses students' study strategies in relation to their needs and makes
recommendations as to how they can be supported through the use of
assistive technology, as well as by non- technical means such as learning
support. It can offer support to learners in a number of ways:
Additional Learning Support

For students who require additional support with their studies, the Additional
Learning Support team offers a range of provision. Students can receive extra
teaching support in class, or in smaller groups. Learners can make an
appointment for a one-to-one meeting to discuss their study difficulties, their
lecturer or tutor may refer them, or they may self-refer. Individual learning
support with specialist tutors can also be arranged in certain cases. Through
the services of the Educational Psychologist the DAT offers advice, screening
and formal assessment for students who may have specific learning
difficulties (dyslexia) and may also help in identifying particular learning
needs and suggest strategies to deal with them. Evidence from a GP,
psychiatrist, CPN or registered therapist can help with the identification of
Special Exam Access Arrangements, which may be appropriate for students
with mental health difficulties, such as extra time or separate invigilation.
Learning Mentor Support

Provides the services of Mentors who work with individuals who have
emotional and behavioural difficulties and can assist students who have
personal care and mobility needs. Mentor staff can also act as a point of
contact for individuals who may be experiencing anxiety whilst at college.
4.2
Advice to staff on Mental Health issues:

Many students with mental health difficulties, or illnesses, have effective
coping strategies and support already in place; they may not need or wish to
seek adjustments or additional support. Typical age of onset means a number
of students first experience mental health difficulty at college. It may be
through discussion with tutors or teaching staff that the support needs of
students first emerge or via the Disability Advisor Team or
Counselling/Welfare Service.

It is possible that the learning process will be interrupted if a person is
experiencing mental health difficulties. The warning signs may include
difficulties in meeting deadlines, failure to attend classes or tutorials and a
noticeable decline in the quality of the work handed in. It may often be the
case, therefore that the first person to become aware of developing mental
health difficulties will be a personal or course tutor. Students concerned
about a fellow-student’s behaviour may also approach staff. Staff may find
themselves in a situation in which it is necessary to work out what they can
realistically offer on the spot.

It may help to be aware that not all students experiencing difficulties, even
relatively severe, need any action to be taken beyond:
- Understanding and sensitivity
- Tolerance of difference
- Awareness of activities which may heighten anxiety for a particular
student
- Trying to create a climate of acceptance among fellow students
without
compromising confidentiality.

For some students there will be specific actions which academic staff can
take:
- Flexibility in dealing with interruptions to study, impaired
concentration or attendance
- Discussing confidence building strategies with students who are
particularly anxious about for e.g. seminar presentations
- Making allowances for mood swings
- Accepting that some students may need to sit in a particular place near an exit, or that they may have to leave unexpectedly
- Allowing that students whose concentration is impaired may use notetakers in lectures.

Most importantly, tutors should never give advice that is not within the
boundaries of their role. It is essential to remember that as an educational
establishment our duty is to support the Student and NOT to solve mental
health difficulties. Tutors should listen and encourage the student to seek the
appropriate help, possibly via the college Counselling/Welfare service. It is
important to recognise what can realistically be done and whether there is a
more appropriate person to deal with the problem, the first point of referral
would normally be the Director of Learning Support.

The Head of Division, Student Support or Director of Learning Support should
discuss their concerns with the student and attempt to establish an initial
understanding of the student's own perceptions of their situation. Where
possible, an action plan should be agreed as a result of the interview. This
may mean actively encouraging the student to access internal support
through the Counselling/Welfare Service, Disability Advisor Team or their GP.
There may also be practical issues to address such as financial hardship, or a
need for learning support or a change in accommodation.
5.
MONITORING
The implementation of this policy annex will be monitored by the Governing
Board on an annual basis. Appropriate data will be provided to the Governing
Board, including numbers of complaints/incidents in relation to Mental Health
Difficulty.
This policy annex - Student with Mental Health Difficulties - should be read in
conjunction with the college Equality and Diversity Policy the college’s
Equality Objectives and the college Strategic Plan.
6.
HAS IMPACT ASSESSMENT TAKEN PLACE - Yes
7.
REVIEW DATE AND BY WHOM
December 2011
Joe Leggett