Library and Student Support
When a student makes a disclosure of a personal nature
What should you be aware of?
Personal tutors frequently provide a significant and influential point of contact for students. Some disclosures of a personal nature that students make in the course of conversation may take us by surprise or leave us unsure of ‘the best’ response.
If the disclosure indicates that the person is in a vulnerable situation, please report the situation to the Cause for Concern team or the Designated Safeguarding Officer (see page 6).
Out of office hours, the concern can be referred to the Security Team. If the student does not give you permission to disclose, you may make the referral of the scenario without the student’s details – this will enable support specialists to consider options with you. You are not expected to be an expert in responding to disclosures of this kind, though here are some general ‘Do’s’ and ‘Don’ts’ to assist with any initial response:
What should you do? What should you not do? Do
Don’t
Start by listening. Give the student space to talk and be patient with silence. Be mindful that a student may start by telling you something relatively minor whilst building up to tell you something more serious.
Prompt the student by asking if there is anything else the student needs you to do or wants to tell you.
Utilise other prompts such as open body language and silence.
Stay calm.
Respond with sensitivity, empathy and compassion. Offer to stop the meeting at any time.
Accept what is being said and state that you believe the student.
Ask open questions (what happened next?).
Set boundaries and expectations: tell the student that they’ve done the right thing in telling you but that you cannot promise not to share the information. Reassure the student that no one will be told that doesn’t need to know and that you will work with them to get help and support.
Comment, don’t be judgemental, don’t make assumptions or pre-judgements, don’t criticise, don’t blame, don’t offer your personal opinion or vent your anger against either the student or the perpetrator(s).
Push the student for details. Ask leading questions (did he hit you?).
Take matters into your own hands and try to ‘fix’ the situation.
Underestimate the importance of sharing information at the earliest possibility.
Panic. Make assumptions or judgements.
For more information visit:
http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/support/unihelp Call UniHelp on: 020 8411 6060 | 13
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