## What would you do?

You’ve talked to the student, but you still feel uneasy. What should you do? Of course, if there is an imminent threat you should phone the emergency services. Fortunately, though, this is rarely ever necessary. The logical next step is to discuss your observations and feelings with a colleague.

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#### Share, share, share

For example, talk with a colleague who you know has a good relationship with the student. He/she may be able to put your feelings into perspective, and together you can decide whether further action is needed. In addition to encouraging colleagues to consult with one another, some organisations work with ladders of escalation, specifying who you should talk to at what stage.

The main message here is not to keep your suspicions of alarming behaviour to yourself. Share them with others. There are many ways to go about this:

#### Change of attitude

To start with, a change of attitude is a crucial sign. Many teachers and student advisers don’t consider it their task to flag matters like these, let alone share their concerns with others. The reason they often give is that this is not the school’s responsibility, or that they are not trained for the task. But there is a long list of staff members who can pick up warning signs:

Study coaches | Teaching staff | mentoren
Tutors | Counsellors | Receptionists
Caretakers | Confidential advisers | Invigilators

#### The experts

How do you deal with alarming behaviour? Is the first step the same for every student, or are there specific actions that you can take? Our experts give the following advice: