Mental health - university choices and applications

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I found a thread from last year that I was going to resurrect, but decided better form to start my own.

Dc in y12->13, severe anxiety and some depression. Quite young for age (not going to take a year out, that would make the anxiety worse). Social anxiety also.

Assume campus universities better suited than city universities? Dc aiming for RG-type universities.

Please share the names of any universities that your DC with MH issues have found good. Any to avoid?

Preferably in England as don't want DC to be too far away and not be able to easily reach/return if there is a crisis.

Previous thread I read also said to declare these MH issues on UCAS form - will that limit their acceptances to course directors with supportive attitudes? Guess better to rule out unsupportive courses, but would rather know in advance so as not to waste a choice.

Most open days currently online so can't just wander up and ask.

@gogohm

Seriously consider staying at home. My dc has autism and anxiety, living at home made life easier and had excellent support (unfortunately covid hit and she couldn't cope so dropped out) not Russell group though. Avoid Warwick, I know three who have dropped out due to complete lack of support for preexisting mental health issues

Thanks. It is the preexisting issues that concern me. I suspect universities are better for things that develop during university and relate to university studies/life rather than something the student always had/will have.

I know what you mean about support services not discussing matters with parents when your DC hits 18. Actually having that issue with CAMHS now, since DC has been 17.

CAMHS have told DC they are going to end their treatment. DC being all polite about it ("oh ok, well I'm sure there is someone else more in need" etc). So I am going to have to break through that confidentiality wall somehow.

Keele is a lovely campus uni with a real sense of community and away from the bustle of any big city. I managed to stay on campus for all 3 years I was there. I was there a long time ago though so no idea as to MH/pastoral support. Good luck to your DD.

Thanks, second mention for Keele, might be on the list.

I found a useful Guardian article, did I link (also comments are useful)?www.theguardian.com/education/2018/may/29/how-to-tell-which-universities-are-taking-student-mental-health-seriously
Mentions positive things about Kent, Southampton...

@gogohm Warwick was on the list - sorry to hear bad things about it, but was already a bit wary as there is currently a specific thread on this board about where the students can live that is safe, which is not what you want to read when sending your DC off to university.

Ditto a thread about Durham with over 600 posts, presumably being the parent of a Durham student is disproportionately stressful (from a quick skim of a couple of pages I did gather they make the students wait an inhumane amount of time to hear about their acceptances/accommodation etc).

This is the stuff I need to know so that we don't implode in year 13 or crash out in year 1 of university (or worse).

I've heard fantastic things about Durham and well-being. I think it shows just who you speak to.

DD went to Durham and found her college's pastoral care was great. She had (still has but recovering) an ED with attached anxiety and depression and her vice principal (I might be wrong about that title) was fab and made herself available for chats. The whole college set up felt like a family I think

Yes, @NCTDN, you are right and maybe depends on course/college. Is this one of the ones your DD is applying to?

@shallIswim: thanks, glad to hear your DD has had a supportive experience.

I can second Durham for excellent support in particular John's college. DD (autistic and MH issues during secondary and ongoing - ho hum!) has had support from senior tutor throughout first and second year, liaising with academic department when issues arose. This year has been particularly bad and she has had regular support from a MH nurse in the college. She has been guided through options available to her to help her carry on with her course. Through the college 'family' she has had informal support from older students and other people attached to the college. Student disability were great even before she got an offer. The only frustration I have had was an incident when i had concerns and the college wouldn't act unless my DD asked for help. One of her college family helped out in that situation. Johns is catered and a small friendly college so I think that has helped.

Southampton isn't a campus university, but the halls are very close to campus and catered halls are available. Enabling Services are brilliant and really good the extra mile to support students.

DD found Cardiff very unhelpful with accommodation. They wanted doctors letter detailing why her condition required adjustments. Medical records were not enough. The last thing she wants is to talk to a GP, she cannot even open up to her therapist. She has anorexia the choice was 5 universities, two within an hour if she was still struggling at the time to firm, two within two hours is she was weight restored and coping and one that could be her dream choice if she believed she could cope. Although predicted As her self esteem and mental health was more important than rankings. She didn’t want to be the dumbest in the room (even if she wasn’t). Although she is a bus ride from Russel Group, she also needed a new start.
She is about to start UEA, they have been extremely helpful, they had problems previously so had to improve. She is the furthest away but has been weight restored for a year.
We are meeting up every four weeks in London for a stroll and lunch. FaceTime every week and she has given the university permission to contact me if they feel she is not coping. She has also picked a degree that is easy to transfer if she does need to come home.

I was also going to say that DS received good support at Nottingham, both for dyslexia and for support after a friend (not a student) deliberately self harmed a couple of times and then called him for help. Personal tutor and Head of department were particularly helpful, and the Health Centre organised couselling.

Thank you so much for information about Durham, Southampton, Cardiff and UEA, all places in the mix for my DC.

I did not realise about Southampton not being campus. Really should get in car and visit these places, but there are reasons why we haven't been able to visit anywhere this summer. Was going to rely on virtual open days and then visit anywhere that gives an offer (or obviously if they require an in-person interview).

People we know who did medicine at Cardiff rave about it, though my Dc is not doing medicine and these people may not have had mental health issues, so not sure why I was placing weight on that.

@Boulshired hope your DD enjoys UEA. Useful point that I had not considered about seeing whether their course could be transferred to a university nearer to home if necessary. Not sure how to even go about looking into that. Do you ask the current university or the local-to-home university?

RainingYetAgain Thank you for information about support provided at Nottingham.

Southampton has lots of buildings as well as cafes, bars and sports facilities at its (main) Highfield Campus, but the halls are all 10 minutes walk (or more) away.

There are also other campuses - Avenue Campus, the Oceanography Centre, Winchester School of Art, Southampton General Hospital and Boldrewood (+ Malaysia Campus.

What subject is DC interested in?

FoffFoffFoff transferring would depend on whether during the year or in the summer. DD looked for standard courses rather than unique degrees to that university.

Anyone know what support is like at Exeter?

What I would say is that this can be so individual, DDs college has a bad reputation for mental health and yet they were amazing with DD. Whereas her secondary school prides themselves on their mental health support but made the situation worse with DD. The hardest part is not knowing if your child will be able to ask for help if they need it.

I would look for universities / courses where there is a named person with a specific remit to deal with student wellbeing at a level between personal tutors and the university's central wellbeing services. This could be at college level, as in the case of Durham, or at department level with someone like a student wellbeing and progression co-ordinator.

The reason I suggest this is that these people not only provide an additional layer of support and advocacy but they should also have both training and availability built in to their role. These are the two areas where students, particularly those with serious issues who need actual, ongoing and proper support from people who are both qualified to offer that support and have enough time to do so, can fall through the cracks in the system.

I'm 23 and my first university was university of Sheffield, it was not very good for support during a difficult time, they only see you as a number and lecturers have good knowledge bases but do not understand how to actually teach the knowledge. I finished at a London university and felt much more supported. I think there seems to be a correlation between poor mental health and RG universities so be careful when choosing.

Out of what you suggested and what I have heard or where friends and family have attended UEA seems a great option. A close family friend attended there after suffering quite bad mental health and support at Cambridge and was much happier.

We'd wondered about southampton but a bit worried about getting from halls to lectures/etc and if it might be overwhelming.

I’m sorry but Nottingham Trent and Nottingham are not even comparable despite what uni rankings you may be looking at. Any employer will pick an RG graduate over an ex poly on paper. I went to Notts and as people have said there’s tonnes of catered accommodation but unfortunately any RG uni is going to have a high proportion of private school kids who are very confident. You can’t expect the uni to do heaps for their mental health but you can find a decent local GP etc. I would give your child some more agency and stop stepping in and doing everything for them. Sure accompany them to open days but it’s up to them to research x

@Newmum29

I’m sorry but Nottingham Trent and Nottingham are not even comparable despite what uni rankings you may be looking at. Any employer will pick an RG graduate over an ex poly on paper. I went to Notts and as people have said there’s tonnes of catered accommodation but unfortunately any RG uni is going to have a high proportion of private school kids who are very confident. You can’t expect the uni to do heaps for their mental health but you can find a decent local GP etc. I would give your child some more agency and stop stepping in and doing everything for them. Sure accompany them to open days but it’s up to them to research x

Not true at all, I moved from RG to non RG and got a grad scheme offer from a high end company before I had even finished studying. Companies do not look at RG they look at course content and grade.

I think these things can vary so much between departments at universities - someone above mentioned their bad experience at Sheffield University, but for balance, I was in a small department there, I knew my tutors well and felt very supported by them. I didn't feel like a number at all.