Parents of Natasha Abrahart win support for student welfare after her death

Natasha Abrahart, a 20-year-old student, was studying at the University of Bristol when she took her own life. Her parents, Robert and Margaret, have won cross party support for their campaign, to make universities legally responsible for the welfare of their students.

The two believe that a parliamentary debate on this issue of student welfare and who is granted responsibility for it had “opened another door” in their bid, they told BristolLive.

Margaret and Robert Abahart via SWNS

Raised in Nottingham, Natasha studied physics at the university. In February 2018, Natasha was diagnosed with chronic Social Anxiety Disorder. She took her own life in April of the same year, on the day she was due to do a presentation in a 329 seat lecture hall, in front of students and staff.

The court initially had ruled Bristol University’s position in Natasha’s suicide as contributory. They believed the Equality Act of 2010 had been breached in the way the university treated Natasha and how they dismissed her mental health concerns.

Her parents were awarded £50,000 from the court, and attended a debate on the issue in Parliament recently. The couple were calling for a statutory duty of care to be introduced in universities. This would mean the university would be held legally responsible for taking steps to avoid students coming to harm. Their debate won cross-party support.

Natasha with her parents via SWNS

Margaret, aged 64, told BristolLive: “We want parity with employers who have a duty of care to their employees. At the moment, because it’s unclear what’s expected of universities, there’s no accountability when things go wrong.”

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Natasha’s father, 69-year old Robert, told the BBC that when Natasha told the University of Bristol that she felt suicidal, it made “no difference” to how they treated her. He believes:

“They should have taken the necessary steps to avoid causing her further distress

“In 2023, we took this to Parliament. Things haven’t changed. It’s now time to revisit the problem. We lose 160 students to suicide every year at universities in England and Wales. This has to be taken seriously, not just by the universities but by Parliament. This debate is another door opening. It’s not the end. It’s another start.”