Disengaged students

Occasionally, students may lose contact with their course staff or stop engaging with their online course materials. While there may be legitimate reasons for this, it can also be a sign that a student is experiencing difficulties that have led to disengagement. To support staff in responding to such cases, the Disengaged Students process has been developed in collaboration with schools across the University. This process outlines the steps to take when a student appears to have disengaged from their course.

The flowchart and guide below are designed to help you follow the correct approach when managing cases of student disengagement. If you have followed the steps and are still unable to make contact, you can refer the case to Advice and Response using the online form: Disengaged Student Referral

Once a referral is received, Advice and Response will attempt to contact the student. Please refer to the second flowchart, which outlines our plan of action following a referral. If we are able to make contact, we will communicate the necessary messages to the student and update you on whether the contact was successful. We will also advise on any measures that may need to be considered. Please allow at least one week after submitting your referral before contacting us for an update, unless new information about the student becomes available.

It’s important to note that we prioritise referrals based on any additional welfare concerns. This includes previous episodes of disengagement, disclosures about personal circumstances, or behaviour that appears out of character. Cases involving non-attendance only should be managed by the school. We expect that several attempts will be made to contact the student, raise concerns, and issue a warning about the consequences of continued non-engagement before a referral to Advice and Response is submitted.

Disengaged student flowchart 10_24‌‌    Advice and Response flowchart 10_24

Engaging with Emergency Contacts

In situations where all attempts to reach a student have failed, or where there are known welfare concerns, contacting the student’s emergency contact (EC) may be considered. This action is restricted and must be approved by the Information Governance Office.

When speaking to an emergency contact, our disclosures are strictly limited. We do not usually share any information about the student’s academic performance, attendance, or engagement. The purpose of the call is mainly to confirm that the student is safe, well, and in contact with their emergency contact. We may ask the EC to pass on a message encouraging the student to respond to us.

Please note, there is no guarantee that the student will get in touch with Advice and Response, and our ability to intervene further is limited in such cases. If contact is not established, the case will be returned to the school. At that point, we expect the school to follow the Policy on Recording and Monitoring Attendance and Engagement, or other relevant institutional policies or guidance.

Student Emergency Contact Statement: Sharing personal information with your emergency contact

Policy on Recording and Monitoring Attendance and Engagement:

4.2.3 The Disengaged Student Process describes the steps the University must take to contact a disengaged student and assess if anyone else has had contact or has concerns, and when cases should be escalated to the University’s Advice and Response team to try to make contact with the student and/or their Emergency Contact.

4.2.4 If the student fails to comply with the steps outlined in the Disengaged Student Process, the School may refuse the student permission to proceed on their programme which may result in their exclusion from the programme of study.

We’ve put together a few scenarios to help answer common questions you may have when considering a referral to Advice and Response. If you're still unsure, or if you haven’t found the answer through the FAQs or attached flowcharts, please don’t hesitate to contact us at adviceandresponse@manchester.ac.uk.

FAQs

1. A student who was meant to return from a period of interruption but is not responding or completing required paperwork.

This should be managed by the school. Please send the student appropriate information and guidance outlining the required steps, a deadline for completion, and the consequences of not engaging with the process.

2. A student mentioned wanting to interrupt/ withdraw and soon after stopped responding.

• If there are recent welfare concerns, please refer the case to Advice and Response.
• If the issue is solely lack of contact, remind the student of what is expected and by when. Inform them of the process that will be followed if no response or required forms are received.

3. International students on a visa.

Where possible, refer students who are subject to visa regulations at a stage where our intervention may help prevent visa curtailment.

For students not monitored by SEAtS, please check their visa compliance by contacting the Student Immigration Team at visa@manchester.ac.uk before considering a referral. If the student is compliant with visa checks but not engaging with their course, the school should inform them that meeting visa requirements alone is not sufficient to progress or successfully complete their studies.

4. When to refer a student who is not attending, not engaging and not responding to contact attempts.

Please follow the flowchart and apply the suggested process as practically as possible before referring to Advice and Response:  

• Inform the student that a referral will be made due to lack of contact.
• If you’ve given the student a deadline to respond, wait until that date has passed before submitting the referral.

For students whose attendance is not monitored by SEAtS:

• Check with relevant staff members regarding any contact with the student.
• Provide as much information as possible in your referral, especially regarding welfare concerns.
• As above, notify the student that a referral has been made.

5. What happens if the student won’t get in touch with the school after Advice and Response made contact/ confirmed the student’s safety.

We would not accept re-referrals in cases where Advice and Response has already contacted the student or their emergency contact and returned the case to the referrer - unless new information or welfare concerns have emerged.

Subject to capacity, and only if the student has responded directly to A&R, we would be happy to send a follow-up message or email encouraging them to respond to the school or referrer.

If the student re-engages and then disengages again:

• Follow the steps outlined in the flowchart.
• Re-refer to Advice and Response only if there are known welfare concerns. If the issue is simply lack of contact, consider other procedures (e.g. support to study, withdrawal).

6. What is the difference between a disengaged student and a student of concern?

Disengaged students are those who are not actively participating in their academic activities. Factors contributing to disengagement may include:

• Low levels of motivation, insufficient preparation or academic skills, unmet or unrealistic expectations;
• competing priorities, work or family responsibilities, financial stress;
• challenges related to academic staff;

Students of concern are those who may be experiencing situations that put them or others at risk of significant harm, distress, or disadvantage. This may include:

• Reported as missing (Some students may choose to disengage with their studies. In these cases, the school should follow the relevant disengaged student procedure (see flowchart) or withdraw procedures. However, if a student’s absence is unexpected and or if there is a concern that they may be missing, Advice and Response can help locate them).
• Exposure to domestic violence, stalking, or criminal involvement
• High risk alcohol and other drug use
• Risk of exploitation by others
• Serious self-neglect
• Risk of homelessness

7. What is Advice and Response’s remit in supporting the disengaged students?

Our primary concern is to ensure that disengaged students are safe and well. If a student chooses not to engage with our support, we respect their decision and close the referral. The referrer will be notified.

We offer students the opportunity to discuss their circumstances via phone, online, or in-person meetings. From this, we may provide a short intervention aimed at connecting them with appropriate services and their academic department.

If a student discloses experiences of gender-based violence, harassment, hate incidents, or other complex safeguarding issues, we will discuss a referral to an Advice and Response caseworker or an external agency.