Responding to concerns
Leadership and wellbeing roles and responsibilities in related to suicide prevention must be outlined in the school’s policies and procedures. Staff in these roles need to be appropriately trained to respond to concerns.Where there’s a high concern of suicide, most school policies and procedures will direct an identified and trained staff member or professional to have a supportive conversation with a student. This conversation may include the following:
- Ask if they’re OK or if they’re having thoughts of suicide or plan to end their life.
- Express your concern about what you’re observing in their behaviour.
- Listen attentively and non-judgmentally.Reflect what they share and let them know they’ve been heard.
- Tell them they’re not alone.
- Let them know there are supports and treatments available that can help.
- If you or they are concerned, guide them to additional professional help.
- Follow the school’s referral pathway for support.
The identified staff also need to ensure the student has support within and outside the school environment. They’ll need to work closely with the young person in relation to the appropriate sharing of information with families. Engaging with them can be crucial to supporting young people and preventing the risk of suicide.
There may be times when a young person is estranged from their family. Or there may be circumstances within the family which place the young person at risk. In such cases, the student wellbeing and leadership teams will need to work closely with the young person to ensure there are adults who are able to support them.
Leading suicide prevention activities
Student wellbeing and leadership staff lead, or assist others to lead, the school’s suicide prevention efforts. As part of a whole-school approach to mental health, key suicide prevention strategies can include:
- ensuring all school staff are aware of, and confident with, the policies and procedures associated with recognising and responding appropriately to students at risk of suicide
- playing a key role in establishing safety plans and appropriate return-to-school plans for students who have attempted suicide, are at risk of suicide or bereaved by suicide
- ensuring all school staff are aware of, and confident with, the policies and procedures following a death by suicide
- providing support and opportunities for debriefing for all staff following an incident relating to suicide or a suicide attempt
- providing relevant professional development and training opportunities for school staff.
School programs
Suicide prevention programs attempt to mitigate risk factors and promote protective factors. Universal prevention programs are designed for the whole population. Selective programs are for high-risk groups, while indicated programs are designed for individuals who have displayed significant risk.
Suicide prevention also involves partnering with families, healthcare professionals and the broader community. This includes connections with, and promotion of, suicide assessment services, emergency care hotlines, hospital emergency departments, and specialised care facilities.
Professional development
As part of your school’s approach to mental health, it’s important to have identified healthcare professionals and trained staff to respond when there's a high level of concern for a student’s safety.
There’s key training available to assist with building staff and community capacity to undertake suicide prevention work, such as: Mental Health First Aid, Youth Mental Health First Aid and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid training; Applied Suicide Intervention Skills (ASIST) and safeTALK training; and Gatekeeper Training.
Working with families and community
Families play a significant role in the lives of young people and can be a strong protective factor against suicide. When families have information about warning signs and where support is available, they may be better equipped to get help when they need it. For this reason, it can be useful for schools to consider approaches to sharing information with families.
Seek guidance and support from healthcare professionals, key community members and staff when planning communication with families. This can assist you to develop a sensitive and appropriate approach for your school context.
Information for families
Kids Helpline provides information for families about suicide warning signs and how to support a young person at risk of suicide. It’s important to note, at times, families can also present as risk factor for young people. Opportunities to support and strengthen families can contribute to the school’s suicide prevention efforts.
The Be You Mental Health Services and Support Helplines poster is an effective way to promote help-seeking. It can be shared in school newsletters and correspondence to families or displayed around the school.
How do I talk with families about their child?
The Be You Inquire module looks at how you can effectively communicate and share concerns with families. Learn more about building partnerships in our Family Partnerships domain.