Talented Huddersfield student, 17, was expelled after altercation and three days later he was dead

The heartbroken mum of a boy with ADHD who took his own life says the education system needs to 'prioritise student's mental health'.

Henry Grierson, 17, was found dead in April this year, three days after he was expelled from Huddersfield New College. He was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when he was ten, but stopped taking medication for the condition when he was 14.

Henry was suspended from the college on April 11 this year after being involved in an altercation and was later expelled following an investigation. College staff did not have up-to-date information about his health, an inquest at Bradford Coroner's Court heard.

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Coroner Angela Brocklehurst warned the college may not have been aware of how vulnerable he was but recorded a narrative conclusion. Now Henry's heartbroken mum Ruth Grierson, 52, is calling for colleges to "prioritise neurodivergent student's mental health" to break the link' between ADHD and suicide.

She said: "The need for policy reform is critical. Now is the time to prioritise mental health and safeguard neurodivergent students from punitive measures. We want to see policy changes that foster resilience rather than contributing to feelings of alienation.

"Henry was a talented, remarkable young man, but he struggled in an environment that treated his needs as problems rather than seeing him as a student who needed understanding.

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"For Henry, this lack of understanding only compounded his struggles, leaving him feeling isolated and rejected. Huddersfield New College must be held accountable for their handling of Henry’s situation.

"We want to see reform that prioritises mental health and provides neurodivergent students with support that keeps them engaged and included. As a family, we are committed to ensuring that Henry’s legacy inspires change."

Henry had discharged himself from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in November 2023 and from addiction organisation Recovery Steps in April. The inquest heard that the teenager had "self-medicated" his ADHD with illegal substances but the college's safeguarding team were not aware of the discharges.

West Yorkshire Police also gave evidence as he was stopped for driving his dad Michael's car illegally the night before he died. After impounding the car, police officers allowed Henry to make his own way back to his house in Rastrick, alone.

He then wrote suicide letters to his family before leaving to take his own life on April 21. Ruth says she feels that Henry's exclusion "should have been a last resort" and that he really needed " understanding and proactive support."

She also wants the college to "take the concerns seriously" as she doesn't want any other family to "experience this level of heartbreak."

Ruth said: "We feel that Henry was let down by systems that didn’t fully understand or support him. Exclusion should have been a last resort; what Henry really needed was understanding and proactive support to help him thrive.

"Colleges need to do better with their understanding of neurodivergent vulnerable students. We hope the college will take the concerns seriously and implement meaningful changes to protect future students.

"No family should have to experience this level of heartbreak due to institutional failings."

Henry's family, including his three siblings Naomi, Thomas, and Jacob, have set up a campaign to help others with ADHD. They have set a website in Henry's name where other families can share their stories.

Ruth added: "Henry had so much potential, deserved more than what he received, and we want to ensure no other family faces this loss. We hope Henry’s story will drive real change within schools and colleges, with neurodivergent students seen as individuals whose unique strengths are nurtured and their wellbeing protected.

"It’s time for a compassionate, educated approach that truly supports every student."

A Huddersfield New College spokesperson said: "We will always do anything we can to support our students, and welcome all feedback and guidance. As was stated in the Regulation 28 Report, the College was not informed about Henry’s decision to withdraw from CAMHS.

"We would welcome anything that would support enhanced communication between organisations such as CAMHS and schools and colleges, and think that this is a conversation that needs to be had at a much higher level. Having clearer guidance about what triggers communications from such organisations would be very valuable clarity for the whole sector.

"We have also reviewed how difficult communications are shared with students. In this case, as the Coroner Report states, 'Mr Grierson was informed of this decision by way of an email transmission to him which was received in the presence of his father, with his parents having been notified previously of the decision made by the College.'

"We have strengthened our process to work with families to understand how we can share information with a student after an exclusion decision has been made. This includes understanding how we share information about topics such as the appeals process.”

You can visit the website here and the fundraising page here.