Some situations may involve an immediate or serious risk to the safety of the student or others or may arise when a student discloses a distressing or potentially harmful experience. In these cases, it is important to respond calmly, take the situation seriously and seek immediate support from professional services. Staff are not expected to manage these situations alone but to recognise when urgent action is needed and to involve the relevant services without delay.
This section outlines how to respond to these situations and explains how to distinguish between a crisis and an emergency.
Crisis or Emergency: How to Tell the Difference
It is important to be able to distinguish between a crisis and an emergency.
An Emergency requires immediate action. It is a life-threatening situation in which a person may be actively trying to harm themselves or someone else or may be completely out of touch with reality or unable to control their behaviour.
If someone is having a mental health emergency CALL [internal accident and emergency (PSHE) 05 57 1 21 21]
A Crisis is an event or situation that is unexpected, distressing and threatens to overwhelm a person’s normal coping mechanisms. It may take time to manage, and often requires professional support, but it is not immediately life-threatening and does not always require urgent action.
If you are unsure whether a situation is a crisis or an emergency, it is safer to treat it as an emergency and seek immediate help.
Suicidal ideation (thinking about suicide) can be passive (the person doesn’t plan to act on it) or active (they have a detailed plan and intend to act on it in the near future).
You are not expected to take on the role of a mental health professional. Your role is to recognise that the student needs help and to keep the student safe until appropriate support arrives. You do not need to have all the answers – being present and taking the situation seriously is already important.
You are likely to find being with a suicidal student emotionally challenging and should seek support for yourself afterwards if needed.
It is not always possible to recognise when a student is experiencing suicidal thoughts, and not all students will show clear signs. However, some behaviours or changes may indicate that a student is in distress and may need support.
Any expression of suicidal thoughts or self-harm should always be taken seriously. Even if it may appear exaggerated or attention-seeking, it is important to treat the situation as potentially serious.
There is no single way to respond as every situation is different. However, it is important not to ignore signs that a student may need help. If you are concerned, do not hesitate to approach the student and start a private conversation. Express your concern based on what you have observed, rather than making assumptions about the students’ feelings. Show willingness to help. Ask who else might be able to help (relatives, friends, colleagues) If you feel you are unable to talk to them, ask another person to do so.
Try to remain calm and show the student that you care and are willing to listen.
Open-ended questions can help the student express themselves in their own words. However, if you are concerned about possible suicidal thoughts, it is important to ask clear and direct questions. For example: “Are you having thoughts about harming yourself?” or “Have you thought about ending your life?” Listen without interrupting and take what the student says seriously. Asking these questions will not increase the risk of suicide.
If you think a suicide attempt is imminent, call emergency services immediately [internal accident and emergency (PSHE) 05 57 1 21 21]
and do not leave the student alone until appropriate support arrives.
If a suicide attempt has already been made, contact emergency services immediately.
If the risk is not immediate, encourage the student to contact specialist support services.
Sexual violence is a serious and sensitive issue that can affect any student, regardless of gender, age or background. If a student chooses to disclose a sexual assault to you, it is likely that they have taken a long time to feel ready to speak about it. Your response can have a significant impact on their willingness to seek further help.
Sexual assault is any sexual act committed without the free and informed consent of the other person. A disclosure may relate to a recent event or to something that happened weeks, months or even years ago. The timing of a disclosure does not reflect its severity or the student’s level of distress.
Reactions to sexual assault vary widely. Some students may appear calm and composed, while others may be visibly distressed, angry or withdrawn. There is no ‘right’ way to react. Students may express themselves in different ways, and the way they present themselves should not be taken as an indication of how serious the situation is.
You are not expected to investigate or verify what the student tells you. Your role is to listen, take the disclosure seriously, and direct the student to appropriate support services. You should also be aware of your institution’s policies regarding disclosures of sexual violence, including any mandatory reporting obligations.
Listen calmly and without judgement. Let the student speak at their own pace and do not press for details. Thank them for trusting you and acknowledge that it took courage to speak up. If the student is in immediate danger, help them contact emergency services or your institution’s security team [internal accident and emergency (PSHE) 05 57 1 21 21]
Reassure the student that what happened is not their fault. Provide information and where possible contact details about available support services, such as counselling services, student wellbeing teams, or specialist sexual violence support services
Respect the student’s autonomy. They should be the one to decide what steps to take next. Do not pressure them into making a formal report or taking any particular course of action. If you have a duty to report the disclosure under your institution’s policies, explain this clearly and sensitively to the student so the student understands what will happen next.
Physical and emotional abuse can affect any student, regardless of their background. It may occur within a family, a relationship or any other interpersonal context. If a student discloses that they are experiencing or have experienced abuse, your response can play a crucial role in their sense of safety and whether they feel able to seek further help.
Physical abuse refers to any intentional act causing injury or physical harm, such as hitting, pushing or restraining. Emotional abuse involves patterns of behaviour that undermine a person’s sense of self-worth, such as humiliation, threats, intimidation, controlling behaviour or persistent criticism. The two often occur together, but emotional abuse can also occur on its own and can be just as harmful.
Students who experience abuse may feel ashamed, confused or afraid. Some may minimise what is happening to them or may not immediately recognise it as abuse. Others may fear that disclosing will lead to consequences they cannot control. It is important to remember that disclosing abuse takes considerable courage, and that the student may have thought carefully before choosing to speak to you.
You are not expected to assess the situation or to intervene directly. Your role is to listen, to take the disclosure seriously, and to help the student access appropriate professional support. Make sure you are familiar with your institution’s safeguarding policies and of any mandatory reporting obligations that may apply.
Some students who have experienced abuse may have engaged in abusive behaviour in other situations. This does not change the seriousness of what they are reporting, and you should avoid any reaction that could be perceived as dismissive or judgemental. [link to Good Practices Psychological First Aid Training – University of Minho]
Listen without judgement and let the student share what they feel comfortable sharing. Do not press for details or ask them to justify their account. Thank them for trusting you and acknowledge that speaking about these experiences is not easy.
Reassure the student that the abuse is not their fault and that they deserve to feel safe. Provide information about available support services, such as counselling services, student wellbeing teams, or external organisations specialising in domestic violence or abuse and give contact details where possible.
If the student is in immediate danger, help them contact emergency services or your institution’s security team [internal accident and emergency (PSHE) 05 57 1 21 21]. If the risk is not immediate, encourage them to reach out to specialist support at their own pace. Respect their autonomy and do not pressure them to take any particular course of action.
If your institution’s policies require you to report the disclosure, explain this clearly and sensitively, so that the student understands what will happen next.
Occasionally a student may experience psychosis which can affect their perception of reality. A student experiencing psychosis may appear confused, express unusual beliefs or perceptions, or have difficulty distinguishing between what is real and what is not.
Although this can be frightening to witness, it is important to remember that the student is likely to feel distressed, confused and overwhelmed. Understanding what psychosis involves and how to respond can help you support the student while keeping everyone safe. Although psychotic episodes can involve a risk of harm to the student or others, most people experiencing psychosis are not dangerous.
Although this can be frightening to witness, it is important to remember that the student is likely to feel distressed, confused and overwhelmed. Understanding what psychosis involves and how to respond can help you support the student while keeping everyone safe. Although psychotic episodes can involve a risk of harm to the student or others, most people experiencing psychosis are not dangerous.
Psychosis can involve hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that others do not perceive), delusions (strongly held beliefs that are not based in reality), or disorganised thinking and speech. It may occur in conditions such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, but can also be triggered by extreme stress, sleep deprivation or substance use.
A student experiencing psychosis may not realise that something is wrong. They may believe their experiences are real and may become frightened, suspicious or agitated if challenged. It is important to remain calm and avoid confrontation.
You are not expected to diagnose or treat psychosis. Your role is to ensure the student’s immediate safety and to connect them with professional support as quickly as possible.
Stay calm and speak in a clear, simple and reassuring way. Do not argue with or try to disprove the student’s beliefs or perceptions, even if they seem irrational. This is likely to increase distress. Acknowledge the student’s feelings without reinforcing the content of delusions or hallucinations (for example, say “I can see you are very distressed” rather than “Yes, people are following you”).
If the student appears to be a danger to themselves or others, contact emergency services immediately. [internal accident and emergency (PSHE) 05 57 1 21 21
If the situation is not immediately dangerous, contact your institution’s student support or wellbeing team for guidance.
After the incident, remember to seek support for yourself if needed. For example from the UBM psychologist or other support services.