Step by Step - suicide help resources
Samaritans' Step By Step service
includes resources on dealing with suicide or self-harm listed below. 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.
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
Audience: education
professionals
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
Audience: education
professionals
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
Audience: education
professionals
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
Audience: education
professionals
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
Audience: education
professionals
The following is a summary of questions
frequently asked by parents/principals/teachers after a critical
incident.
7. Friends Can Help
Author: Survivors of Bereavement by
Suicide (SOBS)
Audience: young people,
parents and families
Often immediately following a sudden death
friends rally round and offer support. Generally friends are well
meaning and they want to offer support and help but they may not
know how to. This resource is written primarily for the friend to
help them support another friend who has been bereaved by
suicide.
- As a friend, what should I do?
|
- Some Do’s and Don’t s for Friends
|
8. 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
Audience: education
professionals
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
|
9.
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
Audience: education
professionals
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.
10.
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
Audience: education
professionals
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.
11. Support after a suicide
Author: Survivors of Bereavement by
Suicide (SOBS)
Audience: young people,
parents and families
Death by suicide is the most
personal act any person can make, involving a wide circle of people
– the survivors.
This booklet is intended to
help survivors along the path following a bereavement by suicide –
to help you understand what is happening to you.
- Feelings and symptoms
- Be kind to yourself
- Helpful reading
|
- Effects on the family
- Survival guide
- From survivors
|
12. Support for friends
Author: Papyrus
Audience:
young people
Information about how you can help and support a friend or
mate who may be thinking about dying by
suicide.
- Are you worried about a friend or mate?
- Things you should know
|
|
13. Understanding
suicide
Author: Samaritans
Audience:
parents and families, education professionals
This leaflet informs
parents, teachers and the general public about key facts concerning
why people die by suicide and how to reduce suicide risk. It
also provides information to correct common
misconceptions.
- Why do people take their own lives?
- What influence does the media have?
- What should I do if I know someone who is feeling
suicidal?
|
- How can you tell if someone is at risk of suicide?
- How do we reduce suicide?
- What should I do if I know someone who has died by
suicide?
|
14. What are CAMHS?
Author: YoungMinds
Audience:
young people
This leaflet explains what happens and what to expect when you
are referred to CAMHS. CAMHS is shorthand for Child and
Adolescent Mental Health Services and covers many teams and
services with different types of staff working in
them.
- Why are young people referred to CAMHS?
- Who, when and where?
|
- What are mental health disorders?
- What happens next?
|
15. Warning signs –
Responding to Critical Incidents: Guidelines for Schools,
pp.34-38
Author: National Educational Psychology
Service (NEPS) – Repuplic of Ireland
Audience: education
professionals
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.
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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