Information for educators
It’s important to be alert to warning signs and know what action you need to take within the boundaries of your role.
Being aware of suicide warning signs
Young people thinking about suicide will often (but not always) give some clues or signs to those around them that show they’re troubled. These signs may be subtle or overt. If you know each student's typical behaviours, it may be easier to notice changes in their behaviours and emotional state.
Warning signs may include:
- Talking about or making plans for suicide
- Expressing hopelessness about the future
- Displaying severe or overwhelming emotional pain or distress.
Other worrisome behavioural clues or marked changes to emotional regulation may include:
- withdrawal from, or changes in peer, social connections or situations
- changes in concentration or alertness in classroom
- anger or hostility that seems out of character or out of context
- increased agitation or irritability.
If you notice any of these signs, and you have a gut feeling of concern, then it’s important to act by following your school’s agreed policies and procedures.
Addressing high levels of concern
There are several key steps you can take to help ensure the safety of a student you think may be at immediate risk of suicide. These include:
ensuring the student isn’t left alone but has an adult with them until the appropriate support has been identified and provided
advising students that the information about the risk must be shared with appropriate staff members and therefore can’t remain completely confidential
seeking immediate support from appropriately trained staff or healthcare professionals.
Your school policies and procedures may outline specific steps for staff, depending on their role and level of training, in such situations.
Myth: asking a student you are concerned about if they have thoughts or plans of suicide, will encourage them to attempt suicide.
While these conversations can be very confronting, there’s a lot you can and should do when concerned about a student. Talk to the student or find someone who can. By getting further information, you can assist them to talk with others and get the professional support they may need.
There’s no evidence that talking to a student directly about suicide is harmful when the conversation is approached with sensitivity and compassion.
Supporting the school’s prevention efforts
There are key things you can do to support your school’s suicide prevention efforts. These can be specifically targeted at suicide prevention or fall under broader health promotion strategies of the school.
- Be familiar with your school’s policies and procedures, and referral pathways for helping students at risk and/or in crisis.
- Implement programs to build the social and emotional wellbeing and resilience of students. Such programs can be aimed at reducing risk factors, such as bullying or marginalisation, and increasing protective factors, such as coping strategies and help-seeking.
- Develop and maintain positive relationships with students and families.
- Engage in staff professional learning and training programs about mental health and wellbeing and suicide prevention.
- Provide families with relevant information and resources to align with programs or initiatives that are being implemented at school. For example, information about Zones of Regulation.
You’re already doing a lot to foster the wellbeing of all students, including those most vulnerable. You’re doing this through your ongoing work in supporting the development of students’ social and emotional skills and resilience.
You may be interested in accessing training to become a 'gatekeeper' at your school. Gatekeepers are individuals trained and resourced to recognise and respond to suicide risk in others. Families and educators have been recognised as the primary gatekeepers in youth suicide. It’s important to know who from your school has the training to respond to the concerns you have for a student.
Looking after yourself
Recognising and supporting students at risk of suicide can be challenging. You may find it confronting in terms of your own feelings and emotions, or it may bring up issues relating to your family and friends. You may also feel anxious about your personal capacity to support students at risk of suicide and may feel like you’re not well-enough equipped.
- Adequate training, clear processes, referral pathways, a team approach and role clarity can all help.
- The Be You Wellbeing tools for educators page can be of assistance during these times.
- If you need to talk with someone, you could reach out to trusted colleagues, your school leaders or the schools employment assistance service to arrange a confidential discussion.
- Reach out to a mental health service or support helpline.
Where can I learn more?
The Be You Notice module looks at factors you might consider when establishing whether you should be concerned about a student’s mental health.