A “kind-hearted” scholar who didn’t attend a lecture for 5 months took his personal life at house in Kent the day earlier than he was as a result of return to school.
The devastated household of Henry Jacques Duley, from Whitstable, had no thought their sporty, “loving and humorous” son had been struggling along with his psychological well being.
They’ve questioned why workers at Cardiff Metropolitan College didn’t attempt to contact the 20-year-old in individual or over the telephone when he stopped handing in assignments.
An inquest into his loss of life held at Oakwood Home in Maidstone on Thursday heard how Cardiff Met didn’t have programs in place that recognized non-attendance as a priority – however modifications are actually being made.
Henry’s heartbroken dad and mom imagine the uni “missed alternatives” to note one thing was flawed earlier than he got here house for the Easter holidays.
His mom Jane instructed KentOnline: “If we would have recognized in January he’d not been doing something since November, that will be an enormous signal one thing is just not going proper.
“Perhaps he was out partying, not getting up, however possibly he was sitting in his room, feeling lonely.
“The terrible factor is this concept of how only one little dialog might have modified how he thought.”
Henry’s dad and mom had been in common contact with him whereas he was at uni however he by no means let on that something was flawed.
Mrs Duely mentioned: “The overwhelming feeling is of guilt. Why did not we see it?
“Did we see issues that we did not essentially choose up on?”
Mrs Duley says Henry “all the time had a number of time for folks”.
“He would by no means hear a nasty phrase mentioned about somebody and he was very huge on household,” she mentioned.
A soccer lover and Chelsea FC fanatic, Henry had performed in purpose for Whitstable and Kent.
After passing all his GCSEs regardless of vital disruption from Covid-19, the previous pupil of Simon Langton Boys’ Grammar in Canterbury initially didn’t wish to go to uni.
An apprenticeship alternative fell via, and he dabbled in different roles together with goalkeeper teaching part-time earlier than deciding to pursue larger schooling.
Henry began a basis yr resulting in a BSC in sports activities media at Cardiff Met in September 2023.
His attendance was sparse however he submitted and handed all his on-line assessments up till November – when he stopped participating in research completely.
The inquest heard no effort was made by uni workers to succeed in Henry in individual or over the telephone, with the one communication revamped emails – most of which he by no means opened.
He got here again to Kent for the Easter holidays and was discovered by his mum after taking his personal life on the household house in Whitstable on April 25 – the day earlier than he was meant to return to uni.
Coroner Sarah Clarke requested Cardiff Met’s director of scholar providers Kirsty Palmer what degree of attendance is anticipated.
Miss Palmer mentioned: “College students are anticipated to undertake 12 hours [a week] of timetabled instructing and 152 hours of particular person studying per unit, however we don’t maintain a document of what number of hours college students put in in their very own time.
“There isn’t any minimal degree of attendance set, and three college students on Henry’s course handed the inspiration yr with out attending any in-person seminars.”
When Henry didn’t attend a lecture or missed an project, an electronic mail was despatched to his uni account. These messages included notes on the way to attain out if a scholar was struggling.
Miss Palmer was requested what would set off workers to attend a scholar’s lodging in individual.
She mentioned: “Unite College students Lodging (which managed Henry’s halls of residence) has welfare workers on-site and a well-being workforce.
“They’ll refer college students to the college if they’re significantly frightened. We’d then do a website go to if we have been involved for welfare.”
She added causes for this may very well be issues corresponding to a particularly messy room or proof of drug taking.
Miss Palmer was then requested about college students corresponding to Henry who don’t search assist.
She mentioned: “You’re describing my worst nightmare that there are college students who can’t attain out or don’t wish to attain out.
“It’s the factor that retains me up at three within the morning.”
Beforehand, a scarcity of attendance was marked individually for every seminar, and there was nothing to flag up when many had been missed in succession.
I feel there have been missed alternatives to succeed in out to Henry…
Now, a brand new system referred to as MetStat is being trialled and developed which can hyperlink up and create a joint document of attendance throughout lectures.
This was already within the works earlier than Henry’s loss of life.
Giving a conclusion of suicide, the coroner mentioned: “Earlier than his loss of life, there was no indication Henry was struggling along with his psychological well being.
“Henry’s attendance in time period one was sparse, however he handed his first exams. Nevertheless, from November he had little to no engagement in any respect within the course itself.
“Now we have heard proof from the college and I’m happy that there was vital consideration after Henry’s loss of life.”
Talking after the inquest, Henry’s dad and mom mentioned the uni’s insurance policies ought to have been extra “sturdy”.
Mrs Duley, 55, mentioned: “I really feel like they do not wish to admit that non-attendance is a pink flag. Nevertheless it’s the primary pointer that one thing is just not going properly.
“Their insurance policies aren’t sturdy and so they depend on college students placing up their hand and saying, ‘I’ve obtained psychological well being points.’
“I feel there have been missed alternatives to succeed in out to Henry.”
His father Haydn Duley mentioned: “You may need a scholar one morning who’s a bit hungover and cannot be bothered to go to that lecture at present.
“However that’s completely different to not going to any lectures.
“You do not know what was in his head, and we by no means will, and that is one of many saddest issues.
“I try to inform myself and Jane that he wished to maintain this from us and that is why we could not see.
“We want we might have, however he made positive we did not.”
The couple are eager to see one thing good come out of the tragedy and wish to assist forestall related tragedies.
Mrs Duley added: “I’d like dad and mom to bear in mind that universities possibly haven’t got the programs to observe younger people who find themselves struggling or not attending.
“The opposite factor is the significance of speaking about suicide.”
The household have raised nearly £8,000 for Marketing campaign Towards Dwelling Miserably since Henry’s loss of life.
Anybody wishing to donate can achieve this right here.
A lot of this was collected via a charity soccer match held by his buddies and teammates at Whitstable FC on August 9.
A spokeswoman for Cardiff Met mentioned their ideas stay with Henry’s household and buddies and that the college has “undertaken appreciable reflection and studying”.
She mentioned: “We wish to thank Henry’s household for the time they’ve given to assist our assessment of his engagement with Cardiff Met.”
The spokesman mentioned modifications to the uni’s programs and processes will guarantee extra workers have a “fuller perception right into a scholar’s educational engagement”.
“There are actually clearer pathways for stepping up the communications exercise and assist to particular person college students who’ve poor engagement however haven’t offered with well being and wellbeing points elsewhere in our programs,” she mentioned.
“It’s so vital to us that any scholar who’s struggling reaches out.
“We encourage any scholar affected by the problems raised regarding Henry’s loss of life, now or sooner or later, to contact us for assist.”
Psychological well being issues can have an effect on any of us at any time in our lives.
When life will get powerful, speaking might help.
Name the Samaritans 24/7 on 116 123, or chat in confidence to a educated Launch the Strain adviser, anytime, simply textual content the phrase SHOUT to 85258 or name 0800 107 0160.
For particulars about different psychological well being assist in Kent and Medway, together with Amparo who present assist to anybody bereaved by suicide, please go to kent.gov.uk/mentalhealth
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