I have a serious concern and want help for myself or a student/peer

If someone you know is facing difficulties but other support services aren’t able to help and it’s not an emergency, you can submit a referral to the Student of Concern (SoC) team. You can also refer yourself.

This form will be picked up by designated staff in Student Services and you, or the student you referred, will be contacted to offer support.

Important to know:

• The SoC process isn’t an emergency or crisis referral service.

• If you’re in an emergency situation, read our article Emergency and crisis support for students.

• If you’re at all concerned about suicidal thoughts for yourself or a friend, read our article  Concerned about suicidal thoughts for yourself or someone else?

An emergency situation is where there is an immediate risk to life and an instant response is required. Examples of these situations include:

• Someone has collapsed and is unresponsive​​​​​​

• Someone has told you that they intend to make a suicide attempt

These situations will often require support from emergency services, you can find further guidance in our article on crisis support.

Once you have responded to the immediate emergency, please complete a Student of Concern (SoC) referral so that we can ensure appropriate follow-up support is provided.

A serious concern refers to a situation where your safety or well-being, or that of a friend or peer, is at significant risk. An immediate response isn’t required, in these cases a prompt response, within 48 hours is appropriate. 
 

Here are some examples:

• Posing a serious risk of harm to themselves or others: This includes threats of suicide, self-harm, or violence towards others.

• Serious mental health issues: This could involve experiencing severe depression, psychosis, or an eating disorder.

• Neglect or abuse: If you are, or someone you know is suspected to be, a victim of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, this is considered a serious concern.

• Risk of exploitation or radicalization: This might involve situations where you are, or someone you know is, vulnerable to being taken advantage of or drawn into terrorist activities.

• Sudden deterioration in health or well-being: A significant decline physical or mental health, particularly if it's affecting ability to function daily, can be a cause for concern.

There’s a wide variety of support available at King’s. For more information, read our article What student support services are available at King’s?

If you’re not sure which service you need, you can book in to speak with your Faculty Wellbeing Advisor. They can provide practical and emotional support if you’re experiencing personal problems, particularly where these might interfere with your academic work. This isn’t a counselling service but they can provide information on sources of professional help and, if appropriate, guide you through the mitigating circumstance process.

The referral form has 33 questions, it will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

The form asks a variety of questions, which help the Student of Concern (SoC) team to make a comprehensive safety assessment.

If you can’t answer a question don’t worry, the form allows you to indicate “I don’t know” or “not applicable” as necessary.

The form provides an opportunity to give further information on a situation by completing the “free text” boxes in the following categories:

• Mental Health – question 22

• Welfare – question 33

You will receive automated confirmation of receipt of your referral.

A team of specialist mental health and welfare advisers will assess the referral and identify the most appropriate support.

Where there are significant concerns about risk of harm to self, others or from others, then it’s likely that you, or the student you referred, will be supported by the SoC team. The support provided can involve multiple specialist services both within and outside of King’s. 

You can complete the form here, or if you're having issues accessing it please use the link at Student of Concern (SOC) Referral Form.

If you have a serious concern about a student but other support services aren’t able to help and it’s not an emergency, you can submit a referral to the Student of Concern (SoC) team by filling in the referral form.

This form will be picked up by designated staff in Student Services and you, or the student you referred, will be contacted to offer support.

Important to know: The SoC process isn’t an emergency or crisis referral service. 
If you’re in an emergency situation, read our article Emergency and crisis support for students.

An emergency situation is where there is an immediate risk to life and an instant response is required. Examples of these situations include:

• A student has collapsed and is unresponsive

• A student has told you that they intend to make a suicide attempt

These situations will often require support from emergency services, you can find further guidance in our article on crisis support.

Once you have responded to the immediate emergency, please complete a Student of Concern referral so that we can ensure appropriate follow-up support is provided.

A serious concern refers to a situation where a student's safety or well-being is at significant risk. An immediate response is not required, in these cases a prompt response, within 48 hours is appropriate. 
Here are some examples:

• Posing a serious risk of harm to themselves or others: This includes threats of suicide, self-harm, or violence towards others.

• Serious mental health issues: This could involve experiencing severe depression, psychosis, or an eating disorder.

• Neglect or abuse: If a student is suspected to be a victim of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, this would be considered a serious concern.

• Risk of exploitation or radicalization: This might involve situations where a student is vulnerable to being taken advantage of or drawn into terrorist activities.

• Sudden deterioration in health or well-being: A significant decline in a student's physical or mental health, particularly if it's affecting their ability to function daily, could be a cause for concern.

The Student of Concern (SoC) team is best placed to help:

• Students whose safety/well-being is at a significant (but not immediate) risk of harm

• Students who have struggled to access support for themselves

If you have a serious concern about a student, please complete a SoC Referral.

The University has a wide variety of support available to students. We are keen to ensure that students get to the right service as quickly as possible, this is often achieved most efficiently by going directly to the service.

Our other support services can offer guidance on a range of issues including:

• Housing

• Financial worries

• Counselling

• Physical wellbeing

• Visa & international student advice

• Disability Support & Inclusion

• Report + Support

For more information, read our article What student support services are available at King's?

If you are a member of staff and want to discuss how you can support a student, you can contact the Staff Advice & Guidance Team by email.

There is support for staff wanting to discuss how best to support a student.

Designated Safeguarding Officers (DSO) 
Each faculty has a DSO with whom you can discuss concerns about students.  They are particularly well-placed to advise on students who may be struggling with academic issues. Find out who your DSO is on the Safeguarding Policy webpages.

Staff Advice & Guidance Team
 
Staff can contact the Staff Advice & Guidance Team to get advice on supporting students.  This team can also guide on what assistance is available for staff seeking support for their own well-being. The team can offer:
 

• 1:1 meetings for advice on student cases/situations/processes

• Introducing and signposting staff to internal personal wellbeing programmes and platforms

Staff can also contact the Staff Advice & Guidance team by email.

The referral form has 33 questions, it will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Please try to obtain the student's consent before submitting this referral. Students are much more likely to engage in offers of support when they have been consulted beforehand. 

It may not always be possible to get a student’s consent. In these circumstances, we ask that you contact the student and let them know that you are worried for their safety and have referred them to a specialist support team. 

The form asks a variety of questions, which help the Student of Concern (SoC) team to make a comprehensive safety assessment.

Please don’t worry if you cannot answer a question, the form will allow you to indicate “I don’t know” or “not applicable” as necessary.

The form provides an opportunity to give further information on a situation by completing the “free text” boxes in the following categories:
 

• Mental Health – question 22

• Welfare – question 33

You can complete the form here, or if you're having issues accessing it please use the link at Student of Concern (SOC) Referral Form.

One of two pathways of support can result from a Student of Concern (SoC) referral.

A team of specialist mental health and welfare advisers will assess the referral and identify the most appropriate support pathway.