Staff
Guide for Staff
Dear Colleagues,
We have created a Guide for DCU Staff which provides guidance on how to advise students on a number of topics that they may contact you about. Please keep this to hand as it is a handy 'quick guide' to help you support your students.
- Academic Support
- Academic Skills
- Financial Difficulties/Fees
- Integration into University Life
- The role of Student Support and Development
- Dealing with Student Psychological/Medical Emergencies
- Policies, Procedures and Protocols
- Out-of-hours Emergencies
If You are Concerned About a Student
If you are concerned about a student, consider referring them to the Counselling and Personal Development Service, especially if you are spending significant time on their personal issues, feel out of your depth, or notice their distress is impacting you personally.
Look out for changes in their academic performance, physical appearance, behavior, or emotional state, as well as distressing life events or any signs of self-harm or suicidal thoughts.
Trust your instincts; if something feels off or others express concern, it's a good time to seek professional support for the student.
If Counselling feels like a step too far at this point, simply refer (or bring) the student to the Student Advice & Support Centre and they will have an initial chat with the student and work out what is required.
Disclosures & Incidents
The Staff Hub is where you will find student policies and guidance on how to deal with disclosures, reports, incidents, and complaints from a student.
Supporting a Student in a Medical or Psychological Crisis
When to Refer to Counselling Services
Consider referring a student to the Counselling and Personal Development Service when:
- You are spending significant time addressing their personal issues
- You feel unsure, out of your depth, or emotionally depleted
- You are worried about the student's safety
- You are covering the same ground repeatedly with no evident change or your suggestions are consistently rejected
- The student is becoming overly dependent on you
Common Signs of Student Distress
- Significant changes in performance (grades, attendance, deadlines)
- Poor concentration, loss of motivation, procrastination
- Overworking, perfectionism, excessive anxiety about academic work
- Significant weight changes
- Marked changes in hygiene or dress
- Signs of exhaustion (e.g. falling asleep in class)
- Smelling of alcohol or cannabis
- Social isolation or withdrawal
- Excessive dependence on staff
- Unusual or bizarre behavior (e.g. unexplained crying/laughing, rapid speech, confused thinking, paranoia)
- Incoherent/incessant talking
- Uncharacteristic behavior (e.g., unusually cheerful, aggressive, withdrawn, irritable, loud, disinhibited)
- Disturbing or disruptive behavior
- Marked change in mood
- Absence of response to normally upsetting events
- Expressing feelings of worthlessness
- Appearing tearful, sad, or agitated
Look out for students experiencing:
- Recent breakup, death/illness of a loved one
- Major disappointment (e.g. exam failure)
- Serious interpersonal conflict
- Trauma (assault, abuse)
- Unplanned pregnancy, sexual orientation crisis
- Legal/disciplinary event, accident, illness, or disaster
- Something about the student makes you feel uneasy or concerned
- Other students, staff, or relatives report difficulties
- A history of mental health difficulties
- Evidence of self-harm or suicidal ideation/plans
Resources for Staff
This Guide for DCU Staff is a handy reference resource for staff which covers many of the issues that arise with students.
If you wish to help a student in crisis please refer to our guidance document on students in crisis for assistance.
You may wish to encourage a student to avail of Counselling and can find information on how to approach this in our 'How to Refer Students to the DCU Counselling & Personal Development Service' document. Alternatively, ring the Student Advice & Support Centre or bring them down to the Centre and colleagues there can have that discussions.
You may well come across a student who is distressed and may be in need of assistance. Our guidelines on identifying and responding to students in distress will help you prepare for such a situation.
We would also highly recommend that you take the course 'Identifying and Responding to Students in Distress or at Risk' which is offered by the Counselling & Personal Development Service in collaboration with DCU People.
If you come across a student who may be suicidal, it is always best to seek professional help through the Counselling Service, the Student Health Centre or, if out-of-hours, Pieta House or The Samaritans. You may, however, have to work with the student to get them to agree to getting help. These Suicide Awareness/Prevention Guidelines will help prepare you for that conversation.
It is always more difficult to deal with a distressed student by phone or online. These guidelines on working with students via telephone or an online platform will provide some advice to help you with such a situation.
Unfortunately from time to time the University loses members of the student community far too early. In such a case, our role is to try to provide as much comfort for the family as possible and to handle the death in a respectful and sensitive manner. The death of a student policy outlines the role that various colleagues in the University can play to help in such a situation.
Staff Wellbeing
Wellbeing at DCU is broken down into four pillars;
- Mental Wellbeing
- Social Wellbeing
- Physical Wellbeing
- Financial Wellbeing
Visit Wellbeing at DCU to learn more about the wide range of supports, programmes and events for staff under each pillar.