Through discussing issues and concerns with your tutee, you may conclude that one or more student support services are better placed to help and that you should signpost your tutee to these services. You need to handle this referral process diplomatically and sensitively. Students may feel vulnerable after disclosing information to you, particularly if it is of a sensitive or personal nature, and they may perceive your suggestion to seek advice from someone else as a rejection. It is important to explain to your tutee why you are making this suggestion, acknowledging that there are limits to your expertise and that talking to a specialist would be more appropriate.
A good way to approach referral is by asking your tutee if they think it would help to talk to someone else rather than directly telling them that you want to refer them. This will avoid the student feeling that you are trying to off-load them and do not care about them. It is also helpful to talk to your tutee about their feelings as it is common for students to feel embarrassed or nervous about seeking further help. Talking this through may help allay some of their fears and make them more likely to follow-up on getting help.
Support services provide a confidential service to students, so when you refer a tutee you are unlikely to hear anything from that service, unless there is a good reason for them to disclose information to you. It is a good idea to ask your tutee to keep in touch and let you know how they got on. This encourages your tutee to go through with the referral advice and makes them feel cared for and valued. Your ‘duty of care’ means that you will continue to be involved in ensuring that your tutees receive relevant support even after you have signposted them to the University’s student support services.