Quick summary: A study found that 86.8% felt confident supporting students with well-being or disability needs, yet confidence did not reliably translate into knowledge of institutional support systems or referral processes. Workload pressure, unclear pathways, and insufficient specialist training remained the most commonly reported barriers, with formal training and years of experience failing to predict how well staff understood available support structures. The findings point towards a need for universities to embed pastoral responsibilities into workload models, improve referral transparency, and ensure teaching staff receive targeted training on mental health awareness, disability, and neurodiversity.
Academic staff in UK universities are increasingly expected to act as a first point of contact for students experiencing mental health difficulties or living with a disability, yet many lack the institutional knowledge and specialist preparation to do so effectively. A new study published in the ISPCE Bulletin explores what is actually shaping staff readiness in this area, and finds that structural conditions matter far more than training hours or years of experience.
The research surveyed 181 academic staff at Regent College London, a private higher education provider, using a mixed-methods design that combined quantitative scales with open-text responses. It was co-authored by Emma Buhtina, head of student support at Regent College London, and Elizabeth Kaplunov, PhD, a senior lecturer at the institution.
Buhtina said the study grew directly from the environment both researchers worked in. “We wanted to better understand how confident lecturers feel, what support they believe they need, and where the gaps are in training, guidance and referral processes. This evidence is important because it can help universities design more practical support for teaching staff, rather than expecting lecturers to manage complex student needs without the right preparation.”
The findings showed that 86.8% of staff described themselves as somewhat or very confident in supporting students with well-being or disability needs. Most had already engaged directly in these conversations. However, confidence did not reliably predict whether staff knew how their institution’s support systems actually worked.
The regression analysis identified three significant predictors of staff knowledge: confidence in supporting students, a sense that pastoral responsibilities were genuinely recognised as part of the teaching role, and having enough classroom time to notice students who were struggling. Formal training and years of teaching experience were not significant predictors.
Workload and time pressure were the most commonly cited barriers, followed by limited specialist knowledge and frustrations with unclear referral pathways. Many staff also reported receiving no feedback once a student had been passed to the support team, leaving them uncertain whether appropriate help had been accessed.
On training needs, mental health awareness was the most requested area, though a substantial number of staff specifically asked for guidance on supporting students with disabilities and neurodiversity, including ADHD, autism and dyslexia. These responses reflect growing recognition that disability support requires distinct knowledge, particularly around reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010.
Buhtina noted that the findings point to a tension between expectation and capacity. “The study highlights that confidence does not always mean staff have had sufficient training or know exactly how to respond in more complex situations. This has important implications around staff development, clear referral pathways, role boundaries and joined-up working between academic teams and student support services.”
Kaplunov added that the research was never intended to burden teaching staff further. “The goal is not to turn lecturers into counsellors or specialist practitioners, but to ensure they feel confident recognising concerns, responding appropriately and signposting students to the right support at the right time.”
The authors call for pastoral responsibilities to be formally embedded into workload models, with clearer referral processes and more targeted staff training across both mental health and disability support.
