Workshop
The session explores issues that arise for universities in recognising and reducing the risk of student death in a university setting. The session outlines a university’s legal obligations to students (particularly in the context of student mental health), considers what the discharge of those obligations looks like in practice in connection with identifying and responding to risk, and addresses considerations in the event of a student death, including investigation by the police and/or the Health & Safety Executive and coronial inquest.
The session is co-delivered by specialist legal advisers and a university practitioner to provide a rounded exploration of the key challenges that a university may face in planning and implementing robust institution-wide student support arrangements and responding to concerns and incidents which do arise.
The session considers the importance of arrangements for identification, management and review of risk in providing timely and effective interventions for students experiencing mental health difficulties, and the need for such arrangements to sit alongside those for making reasonable adjustments for disabled students and for fair and lawful information sharing.
Explore and discuss broad principles and share your experiences, ‘lessons learned’ and points of good practice.
Kristy Robinson, M.S.W., SFHEA is a mental health practitioner and higher education leader with over a decade of experience spanning both the United States and the United Kingdom. Her career has focused on building inclusive, trauma-informed student support services and leading strategic wellbeing initiatives at institutional levels. Kristy’s clinical training and experience as a psychotherapist inform her approach to leadership and collaboration, where she advocates for meaningful change in student mental health and wellbeing.
Currently serving as Student Support Development Lead at the University of Westminster, Kristy leads on policy development and strategic advancement for the Student Support and Residential Life service provision. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has recently been appointed as a Trustee with the University Mental Health Advisers Network (UMHAN). Her work is grounded in a commitment to cultural humility, social justice, and ethical leadership in student mental health and wellbeing.
Neil has over 20 years’ experience in health law. His particular expertise is in advising clients at inquests and on Mental Capacity Act issues.
Inquests are becoming increasingly complex and clients working in the education sector are finding themselves increasingly drawn into these. Media attention can bring reputational risk to organisations. The process is also highly stressful for the witnesses whose professional judgements are often being questioned. Neil brings an empathetic and caring approach to support individuals and organisations through the process.
Neil’s Court of Protection work gives him expertise in areas of mental health and mental capacity law, which he applies using a conciliatory and sensible approach in often highly fraught and emotionally charged cases. He works with clients to ensure they understand their responsibilities and the limitations of these within the complex world of safeguarding and mental health in the community.
Neil has many years of experience in delivering training to clients through seminars, lectures and webinars. His engaging and personable style mean that he is popular with clients to provide training in his areas of expertise.
:
https://www.mills-reeve.com/people/neil-ward/
:
neil-ward-908418146
Siân specialises in education, public law and regulatory matters. She has extensive experience of providing legal, regulatory, governance and strategic advice to clients in the higher education, further education and schools sectors. She advises on a range of student-related issues including student contracts and “CMA” / consumer law, complaints and court claims (including for judicial review, breach of contract, duty of care and discrimination), misconduct and discipline, fitness to practise, natural justice and procedural fairness, student mental health, duty of care and safeguarding, and harassment and sexual misconduct. Siân reviews student regulations, policies and procedures and advises on their fair implementation in practice. She is a regular speaker at education sector events and delivers training and workshops to clients. Siân is recognised in Legal 500 as a leading associate.
