For parents sending freshers to uni now, something to remember: they are legal adults and this shapes how universities can care for them. We try to support them well but 1. We can’t make them engage with support services and 2. We can’t tell parents if they are having a hard time

Encourage your kids to ask for help. Keep reaching out to them. Don’t assume if something was wrong the university would let you know - that may have been true at school but now we have to respect their confidentiality. OTOH you can reach out and ask what support services exist

Sometimes my heart aches when I talk to a student and wonder if they are being open with their family about their struggles. But their story is theirs to tell and for some students their family is not a safe space.

Oh and also - if your child has a chronic issue of any kind (a lifelong disability, mental health issues etc) the university only knows if they disclose it. Students often assume school will have told us, or they don’t want that to ‘follow’ them...

...if your child is in this situation encourage them to access their Student Wellbeing services ASAP to check it’s on record and appropriate accommodations are being made.