Step by Step - resources for education professionals

Samaritans' Step By Step service
includes resources on dealing with suicide or self-harm
for education professionals. Alternatively, you can view these
resources for:
These resources have been developed by our partner organisations
with expertise on self-harm, suicide and working with young people,
their families and schools.
Suicide help resources
1. Dealing with
suicide
Author: Samaritans
Audience:
young people, parents and families, education
professionals
2. Checklist –
students at risk: handout for schools R16 – Responding to
Critical Incidents: Resource Material for Schools,
pp.23-24
Author: National Educational Psychology
Service (NEPS) – Republic of
Ireland
This checklist may be used
by the psychologist or may be offered as an aid to school staff who
are concerned about a student. It should be remembered that the
checking of a number of items for any one student may point to
other problems. Indication of a number of these factors in any one
student should always be followed up.

3. Critical Incident
Policy & Plan – Framework’ – R21, Responding to Critical
Incidents: Resource Material for Schools, pp.34-39
Author: National Educational Psychology
Service (NEPS) – Republic of
Ireland
The first three weeks following an incident is
a time of vulnerability for staff and students. This can be a
challenging time for the school community and may call on all its
resources to deal with the event. This resource offers guidance
around planning.
‘Critical Incident Policy & Plan –
Framework’ provides a template for schools to plan their Critical
Incident Policy.
- Critical incident team
- Record keeping
|
- Roles and responsibilities
- Confidentiality
|

4. Dealing with the
media – Responding to Critical Incidents: Guidelines for
Schools, pp.43-44
Author: National Educational Psychology
Service (NEPS) – Republic of Ireland
Some events draw a great deal of media
attention. Media interest can add to the complexity of the
situation and it’s therefore very important to agree a procedure
for dealing with the media at an early stage in the
intervention.


5. Exploring suicide risk: Guidance for schools and NEPS R17’ –
Responding to Critical Incidents: Resource Material for
Schools, pp.23-24
Author: National Educational Psychology
Service (NEPS) – Republic of
Ireland
The term ‘risk assessment’
is now used in quite a specific sense and such an assessment needs
to be carried out by a trained professional. This note is intended
to help those professionals (designated school staff, such as
guidance counsellors or chaplains, and psychologists) most
immediately available to the student, to make an immediate
judgement as to whether a student is at risk. Where there is a
serious concern about a student, then a referral should be made
immediately.


6. Frequently Asked Questions – R18, R19 & R20 –
Responding to Critical Incidents: Resource Material for
Schools, pp.26-32.
Author: National Educational Psychology
Service (NEPS) – Republic of Ireland
The following is a summary of questions
frequently asked by parents/principals/teachers after a critical
incident.

7. Preparation on
and planning’ – Section 3, Responding to Critical Incidents:
Guidelines for Schools, pp.15-18
Author: National Educational Psychology
Service (NEPS) – Republic of Ireland
The first three weeks following an incident is
a time of vulnerability for staff and students. This can be a
challenging time for the school community and may call on all its
resources to deal with the event. This resource offers guidance
around planning.
‘Preparation and Planning’ provides advice on
planning.
- Creating a plan
- Key tasks
- Checklist for review
|
- Critical incident team
- Communicating the plan
|


8. Reintegration of the
bereaved child in school: handout for schools R13’ –
Responding to Critical Incidents: Resource Material for
Schools, p.19
Author: National Educational Psychology
Service (NEPS) – Republic of
Ireland
This resource offers suggestions which may
help prepare the school and the bereaved child for their return to
school. They will help to ensure that the individual, the other
students and the staff feel more conformable and at ease.

9.
Sample announcement to the media: resource
for schools R6 – Responding to Critical Incidents:
Resource Material for Schools, p.9.
Author: National Educational Psychology
Service (NEPS) – Republic of
Ireland
This can be used as a
template by schools to be emailed, faxed or given to the media. It
may help to decrease the number of media calls and callers to the
school.

10. Warning signs –
Responding to Critical Incidents: Guidelines for Schools,
pp.34-38
Author: National Educational Psychology
Service (NEPS) – Repuplic of Ireland
This resource offers a list of factors which
indicate that a person is troubled or distressed. The list is
not exhaustive and there may be other signs which those familiar
with a student may notice. There may be an increased likelihood of
suicide or suicidal behaviour if a number of these signs are
present.

Self-harm help resources
1. Dealing with self-harm
Author: Samaritans
Related information
Step
by Step introduction
Providing
local support
Resources for dealing with
suicide
Resources for dealing with
self-harm
Step
by Step background
Further Information
For further information please contact
Sam Oakley, Development Officer,
on +44 (0)208 394 8286 or email stepbystep@samaritans.org
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