In the UK suicide remains a leading cause of death among those under 25, supporting the mental, emotional and social wellbeing of students remains a key priority. As a response, the concept of “Suicide Safer Schools” is gaining traction, advocating for a comprehensive, whole-school approach to create environments where students feel supported, are educated on developing emotional resilience, signs of distress are recognised, and timely help is readily available
What is a Suicide Safer School Policy?
A Suicide Safer School policy goes beyond traditional safeguarding to embed suicide prevention and postvention strategies into the very fabric of the educational setting. It’s not just about crisis intervention, but about fostering a culture of openness, understanding, and proactive support. Key elements typically include:
- Whole-School Approach: This is central to the policy, meaning that suicide prevention isn’t solely the responsibility of a few designated staff members, but rather a collective effort involving all teachers, support staff, leadership, pupils, and parents/carers.
- Staff Training: This ranges from general suicide awareness for all staff (understanding signs, how to talk about it, and escalation routes) to specialised intervention skills for pastoral staff and safeguarding leads.
- Curriculum Integration: Age-appropriate education on mental wellbeing, help-seeking behaviours, and challenging the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide is woven into the curriculum, often through PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic) lessons and assemblies.
- Clear Pathways to Support: Establishing well-defined routes for students to seek help, whether for themselves or a friend. This includes easily accessible information on local and national support services, and trained staff who can respond sensitively.
- Intervention Team: Identifying and training a dedicated team within the school who are equipped to intervene with students at risk and manage confidential records to ensure continuity of care.
- Postvention Planning: Developing robust procedures for responding to a suicide bereavement within the school community (e.g., the death of a pupil, staff member, or parent). This includes supporting bereaved individuals, managing communications, and learning lessons to prevent future tragedies.
- Partnership with External Agencies: Collaboration with external mental health services, local authorities, and suicide prevention organisations to ensure seamless referral pathways and access to specialist support.
- Promoting Help-Seeking Behaviour: Actively working to reduce the stigma associated with discussing suicidal thoughts and encouraging a culture where young people feel safe and empowered to ask for help.
The movement towards Suicide Safer Schools in the UK is a vital step in protecting the most vulnerable members of society. While progress is being made with increased awareness, training, and policy development, the ongoing challenge lies in ensuring consistent implementation across all schools, providing adequate funding for mental health support, and continually adapting strategies to meet the evolving needs of young people. By working collaboratively across Teesside, schools, charities, and government bodies can build a future where every school is a truly safer environment.
Kind Regards
Andrea McLoughlin
Preventing Suicide (Tees) Public Health Practitioner
Published: July 9