It is not uncommon for staff to be contacted by parents or friends who are worried about a particular student. It is important to respond to enquiries with sensitivity, tact and reassurance where possible.
While it is useful to listen to and acknowledge their concerns, personal information must not be disclosed to third parties without the consent of the student.
What you should do
When responding to enquiries from parents, carers, or other third parties, staff should take steps to remain supportive while maintaining confidentiality.
- It is often best to offer a return call to allow yourself time to think about your response, discuss with a colleague and clarify your duty of care and legal obligations
- Inform the caller that because UK law (the 1998 Data Protection Act) and University policy prohibit the disclosure of an individual’s information except in certain situations, we are unable to give any information to anyone about a student either applying for a place at the University or a student currently studying at the University, without that student’s express permission
- Provide general information about university policies, procedures and support services
- Speak hypothetically about student situations and how the University would typically offer support
- It may be also useful to suggest they discuss the issue directly with the student and encourage the student to contact Student Support for guidance
- In emergency situations theoretically explain how we are able to try to pass a message on to students. It should be made clear that this may not be possible, and take care not to inadvertently confirm that the student is enrolled at the university
What you should not do
To protect student confidentiality and comply with legal and institutional requirements, staff must avoid the following actions.
- Confirm that a person is a student or attends this University
- Discuss a student with any third party without their explicit permission
- Share ANY student contact details or ANY information regarding a student’s situation or academic progress
- Accept complaints or feedback on behalf of the student as they must lodge these themselves
- Offer a call back to update on the situation. Advise that if an emergency situation arises we have trusted contact details on file
In an emergency
Where there is concern about immediate risk or serious welfare issues, staff should prioritise safety and seek urgent support.
- If you are concerned about an immediate threat to the safety of the student or others contact security on 666
- If you have concerns about the welfare of a particular student, contact the Student Support Staff Advice Line on 4321