To think very odd police came around because ADULT student hasn't been going to college?

[edgartree]

I'm not talking 18 yo sixth form student. This is my 22 year old daughter who is doing a college course. Hasn't turned up for 3 days and hasn't been able to contact her (I was unaware of this) but they sent the police around? She's 22!

Perhaps it was a mental health welfare check?

They have a duty of care. In some cases, a college or workplace might be the first/only people to report a missing person.

I’d think it positive that the collage cares about her welfare.

It just sounds like basic safeguarding to me - it’ll be the lack of contact, not the lack of attendance. Not just for her own welfare but also a concern is if an adult is solely responsible for children and something has happened to them and as a result the children are alone - this has tragically happened in the past and I know it’s led to a tightening of what is regarded as good practice in the safeguarding of students.

Maybe she is vulnerable in some way. I would assume college had tried to contact her /asked friends if she had been seen.

If you had not turned up to work for 3 days without anyone being able contact you I would expect your work to be concerned about your safety and contact the police.

Seems a bit strange, but they must have been quite concerned for her welfare.

Also we had a member of staff off for three days - work called the police and he was, sadly, dead at home. If work hadn’t have checked up how long would it have been until we found out, and who else might have discovered him?

Is she vulnerable? Had she not called in ?

Do you know where she is ?

Do you know that DD is safe? I think I would be grateful that her College was concerned.

Yes a welfare check she needs to ring in sick college needed to check she is ok.

Well perhaps next time she'll let the college know.

You wouldn't do that with an employer.

Envisage the other side of the coin:

"AIBU - my daughter has disappeared and her college haven't bothered to let me know!"

Technically the college should have tried to make contact- phone, letter, visit to the house if they were concerned.
And then pass to the police.

However for whatever reason, laziness, lack of staff- schools tend to dump it straight on the police. Who then have a duty of care to ascertain the welfare of the person- which means laying eyes physically.

The police spend a massive amount of time on this sort of thing.

Sounds sensible and good safeguarding practice. Years ago I raised an alarm when a colleague failed to attend for a shift at work. Nobody was taking it seriously as he was a bit flaky, but we contacted his family who sadly found he'd died at home.

I work in student support, and if it was a student off for 3 days with no indication as to why then if there were no other concerns then I doubt we'd do anything more than keep trying to contact. However, if it was one of my caseload students, with a known mental health concern, then we would absolutely contact the police, if we had reason to be concerned for their wellbeing or safety.

I think it's fantastic support. If she at home lazing about they will happily leave. If it's more serious then you they will be aware.

What's to complain about?

There is more to this. She most likely has displayed behaviour that indicates she could take her own life, or other students have raised this concern.

Do you know where she is Op

Well, op ?

What's to complain about?

The amount of time the police spend sending officers for welfare checks to start. There must be a better way, the college safeguarding officer could have done the home check first.

I work in Student Support and am the DSO in a college. We would not be contacting police if a 22 year old student had not attended college. We would not contact police if a under 18 year old had not attended for 3 days.

There is far more to this. Mental health concerns? DV?

Where I work if you don't turn up to work and don't phone in sick they have to phone you; if you do not reply they have to phone your next of kin. If they do not reply/ don't know your whereabouts they HAVE to phone the police...it's about safety- if something has happened then the sooner the authorities are informed the sooner interventions can be implemented. So that would probably all take place within three hours- not three days. And I am considerably older than 22!

My uni did the same if they couldn’t contact a student within a certain time frame. Most places havewelfare policiesnow

Yes I know where she is. She's at home right now! She is not vulnerable they just couldn't contact her