Drop-in Service
A place to unload
Somewhere to say the thing out loud. Students often arrive without a diagnosis, a referral or a clear sense of what they need. That is the point of the service, not a barrier to it.
Something practical to take away
Sessions give practical advice and self-management strategies students can use straight away, rather than only a sympathetic hearing.
A route to the right service
Where more support is needed, the clinician helps the student identify it and refer on to the appropriate service.
What a drop-in is
A safe space for support, advice and information
UMO’s drop-in service is open to students who may or may not already be receiving support. It aims to empower students with the knowledge and tools to manage their own mental health and wellbeing.
- Confidential one-to-one support, available when the student needs it
- Practical advice and self-management techniques from a UMO clinician
- Information about mental health and wellbeing services
- Help identifying what is going on and what would help
- Onward referral where a student needs more than a drop-in can offer
How the drop-in service works
The service is set up with the institution, then runs on a regular pattern students can rely on.
01
Agree the pattern
The institution and UMO agree the hours, days and location or platform. The service runs for a minimum of two hours per week.
02
Students drop in
Students attend without a referral or an appointment, whether or not they are already receiving support elsewhere.
03
Talk it through
The clinician helps the student identify the issue, offers practical advice and suggests self-management strategies.
04
Refer on if needed
Where a student needs more, the clinician points them towards the appropriate service inside or outside the university.
Current hourly rate
Drop-in service prices
One hourly rate applies to this service. The drop-in is commissioned directly by universities and colleges, with a minimum of two hours per week.
Standard rate
Drop-in service (HEI)
University or college funded, charged per hour of clinician time
£70 excluding VAT, per hour
Minimum two hours per week Flexible pattern Invoiced to the institution
What this support is not
A drop-in is a first conversation, not a course of treatment
It is not counselling, psychotherapy, diagnosis or medical care, and it is not a standing appointment. A student who needs ongoing support is helped to reach it.
However, drop-in clinicians are highly qualified mental health practitioners working within agreed safeguarding and escalation procedures. The low threshold is deliberate: it is often the first place a student says anything at all.
What students say about the drop-in
In their own words, from UMO’s student feedback.
Undergraduate
“The problems I have are not entirely of my own making and I can seek assistance from my supervisors and the college administration: I am not alone in the process”
Postgraduate
“The drop-in helped me to bring up difficult topics with boss/supervisor. It gave me strategies that work for me to combat my negative perception of work performance, time and expectations management”
Undergraduate
“It gave me more support and guidance with the current struggles that I am currently undergoing. I’m not alone during the tough times in my study, when I could easily give up hope and fail myself”
Undergraduate
“It’s a place to talk about things I’m anxious or uncertain about. It helps me articulate things I’m concerned about and do something about them”
Clinicians, students and university responsibilities
The drop-in sits alongside a university’s own provision rather than replacing it.
Qualified clinicians
UMO drop-in clinicians are highly qualified mental health practitioners with particular interest and experience in working with students in higher education.
Culturally aware practice
Clinicians have the ability to connect with students from culturally diverse backgrounds, which matters in a service students walk into unannounced.
University duties continue
The drop-in does not replace counselling services, reasonable adjustments or the pastoral support a department provides.
Trusted information about student wellbeing
These sources explain mental health support, what universities are expected to provide, and where anyone can turn at any hour.
NHS mental health informationInformation about mental health, treatment and where to get help.(opens in a new tab) SamaritansFree, confidential support at any time, for anyone struggling to cope.(opens in a new tab) Office for StudentsGuidance for providers on access, participation and outcomes.(opens in a new tab)
Questions about the drop-in service
Answers for students, wellbeing teams and the people commissioning the service.
For students
Does a student need a referral?
No. Students attend without a referral or an appointment. They may already be receiving support elsewhere, or none at all.
What happens in a drop-in?
A confidential one-to-one conversation with a UMO clinician: naming the issue, practical advice, self-management strategies, and information about services that may help.
Is it confidential?
Yes, within UMO’s safeguarding procedures. Where there is a serious risk to the student or someone else, the clinician will act.
What if a student needs more support?
The clinician helps them identify what would help and refer on to the appropriate service, inside or outside the university.
For institutions
How is the service set up?
UMO and the institution agree the hours, days and location or platform. The service runs for a minimum of two hours per week.
What does it cost?
£70 excluding VAT per hour of clinician time, invoiced to the institution.
Who delivers it?
Highly qualified mental health practitioners with particular experience of working with students in higher education.
How does this differ from counselling or mentoring?
A drop-in is a single, unbooked conversation with no commitment. Counselling and mentoring are arranged, ongoing pieces of work. The drop-in is often what leads a student to either.
Set up a drop-in service
Contact UMO to discuss the hours, pattern and location that would suit your students, and how the service fits alongside your existing provision.