Content warning: This content discusses suicide and has some mentions of suicidal thoughts and self-harm.
Conversations around suicide and self-harm can be extremely difficult, not only in school settings, but in wider society. With suicide rates amongst young people reaching their highest point in 30 years and self-harm hospital admissions up by 22% for children aged 8 to 17, it is critical that the taboo around these topics is removed so that they can be discussed more openly.
Suicide prevention is now included in each school’s safeguarding policy and highlights the importance and need for proactive measures to be taken to support young people who may be struggling with their mental health. Monitoring and identifying possible early signs of suicide and self-harm in schools is key.
Below are 8 factors to consider based on research compiled by leading organisations across the UK.
1. Look for signs
It can feel challenging to be on the lookout for signs of poor mental health or self-harm in all the young people you work with, but it’s important to trust that you know when something isn’t quite right. Pupils who feel suicidal or likely to self-harm may present as sad, angry and lonely. According to NSPCC Learning, signs to look out for that a child may be struggling with their mental health include:
- Changes in appearance, including unexplained cuts, bruises or marks
- Keeping themselves covered
- Frequent absences from school
- Becoming withdrawn or isolated
- Low mood or lack of interest in usual activities
- Sudden changes in behaviour e.g. becoming angry or aggressive
- Self-blame for problems, unexpressed feelings of failure, uselessness or hopelessness.
2. Look ahead
Look ahead and identify key events in the school calendar such as exams, tests and large gatherings or events which may bring additional pressures or be triggering for vulnerable pupils. Taking preventative measures can help improve outcomes for children.
3. Be direct
Asking pupils if they are feeling suicidal or have a desire to self-harm shows it’s okay to talk about it.
While these conversations can be difficult for someone who is considering suicide, talking to a trusted adult who can listen and be supportive may be their first step towards getting help.
The North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership offers guidance on how to start a conversation with a young person about self-harm or considering suicide. Questions to consider asking include:
- Are you having thoughts of suicide/killing yourself?
- What is happening for you?
- Is this affecting you?
- What help do you need?
- What would you like to happen next?
4. Be mindful of the language used
Avoid using language which stigmatises suicide. For example, try to avoid the phrase “committed suicide” and instead use expressions like “took their own life.”
5. Try not to judge or make assumptions
If a pupil says that they have been considering suicide, it may make you feel shocked, upset or frightened, but it’s important not to judge how the person is feeling. Talking about this to you may well be a big step for them. Try not to assume you know what may have caused the feelings or what may help them and respond in a non-judgemental way. Do not just focus on the self-harm or suicidal intent; consider that there may be underlying issues.
6. Encourage pupils to create a ‘safety plan/
Encourage pupils to make a safety plan which includes ways they will keep themselves safe in moments of crisis. This might include ways of dealing with dark thoughts, reminders of how they can talk to themselves kindly, or soothing activities that can take the edge off intense feelings. See resources and downloads available on www.samaritans.org.
7. Provide education and direct to helplines and support
Raise awareness of suicide in schools and point to support such as helplines and counselling. There are many national charities set up to support young people with their mental health including Samaritans, Papyrus UK and ChildLine.
8. Build a relationship
Establishing a relationship based on trust is crucial to promoting open communication and encouraging pupils to share their thoughts and feelings. Without it, students may be hesitant to confide in others, making it more difficult to provide support. If you are concerned about a young person in your care, consider how you can build a relationship of trust.
How safeguarding software can help
Effective safeguarding software can play a pivotal role in helping to monitor concerns around suicide and self-harm in schools. Below are some ways CPOMS can help:
- CPOMS makes it easier for you to log even the smallest of safeguarding concerns and build a full chronology of an individual’s wellbeing, allowing you to quickly spot trends and patterns – and make the right interventions.
- With CPOMS you can add customised categories, such as “suicide risk”, “mental health” or “self-harm” to accurately log different types of concerns and identify early indicators of serious safeguarding issues.
- When it comes to acting quickly and effectively on concerns around suicide and self-harm, CPOMS enables schools, other education settings and wider agencies (e.g., local authority departments or services) to coordinate a joined-up response. It provides one central system to log concerns and share information, speeding up referral processes and any required action.
- With CPOMS you can easily pull detailed reports (i.e., of mental health-related concerns logged in your setting) to share with relevant agencies.
Normalising conversations about suicide within a wider culture of openness about mental health is an essential step for every school and educational setting.
To find out more about how CPOMS can help your setting, get in touch with our team today.
If you or someone you know is struggling with self-harm or suicidal thoughts, there is help available. Samaritans is a confidential support service available 24/7 for those who need someone to talk to. You can contact them by calling 116 123 or by emailing [email protected]. Samaritans are there to listen, support, and provide guidance in a non-judgmental and confidential manner.
