Universities in England have been asked to carry forward efforts to prevent students suicides, in reviews commissioned by the Department of Education (DFE).

A report, which has been working for almost two years, says they should assess the safety of the student hall and include more families after the death of a student.

Its recommendations, which are the first time to be released by any UK government to university leaders, include discouraging laying flowers where a student has died if it can draw attention to “location of suicide”.

The family of Natasha Abrahaart, who took his life at Bristol University in 2018, called the review “superficial”.

The national review of the first high education student suicidal death of BBC News investigated 169 cases of suicide and serious self-loss reported by 73 universities in 2023-24.

It was found to be almost a quarter of incidents, where the location was known, occurred in university houses, and families were mostly excluded from the review processes.

It stated that there was a special risk of “groups of suicides”, which public health England have “described as a situation that contains more suicides in terms of time, location or both.”

19 In a series of recommendations, it asked universities:

• University hall and security check of any area where a student has died
• People to avoid “discouraging from paying homage in that area” to avoid attracting attention to the site “as the place of suicide”
• Better support students who are struggling academically
• Improve transparency and make the input of families a “major part” of probe procedures

Universities have also been asked to review access to their mental health services.

Vika Zak, who studied animation at Nottingham Trent University, told the BBC that she felt that when she arrived out for support, the employees were for her.

“They emailed me, and I am sure they have sent a letter to me, to tell me that there are services that I can benefit if I need it. It is really good to know.”

Sam Lloyd, a student of a product design, said that the university sent “a lot” emails, making students come to know about support services.

“If you really need it, it is very easy to reach,” he said.

But the review states that like international students, “Awareness, signposting and access to the needs of specific groups can be reached” access to mental health assistance in the entire region “.

“While some reports identified the need for support services to ensure active follow -up contact, many people placed responsibility on the student to seek further help,” said this.

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Bob and Maggi Abrahaart, whose daughter Natasha was studying at Bristol University in 2018, took her life, called the review “superficial”.

Mr. Abrahaart told the BBC, “There is no obligation to do whatever he says on the tin.”

“The ministers to say ‘We hope from them to perform their duties, to do things properly’ only found in the sky.”

He said that universities were earlier given “shelves of recommendations”, including the universities UK (UUK) issued guidance to 141 members.

Mrs. Abrahaart said that universities should have a legal duty of care, for which all universities will need to work with proper care and skills to avoid damage to students.

“This is doing your work carefully,” he said. “What is not clear what is the work of academics, and what is not.”

DFE announced a review in 2023, commissioned from the University of Manchester, who is part of its national confidential investigation in mental health suicide and security to operate it independently.

Asked why a legal duty of care was not introduced, Skill Minister Jackie Smith said that “some legal challenges” were.

“We think universities have a common duty to take care of their students,” she said.

“We will be completely clear with universities that this is their responsibility. We have provided resources and we will continue to challenge them to give them.”

Review comes at the time of increasing pressure on the finance of universities.

The Office for Students (OFS) said this month that more than 10 universities in England are expected to be in financial deficit in this summer.

Professor Sir Steve West, Vice Chancellor of West University, England and a UUK board, said that universities need to work to apply recommendations to implement “effectively” and “priority”.

“It is easy to say (but) it is very difficult because there are all types of issues that kill universities at this time, and we have to make an option,” he said.

He said that there should be more discussion on how to implement standards throughout the region, including whether universities should file a report on their progress.

DFE is due to meeting with university leaders to discuss the findings of reviews this week.

Additional Reporting by Andrew Rogers, BBC Newsbeat.