Considerations for School Settings
The risk of a repeated attempt or attempts by other students may increase without appropriate after-care procedures in a school setting.
After-care in school settings
It is important for schools to consider after-care procedures when there has been a suicide or a suicide attempt in order to reduce a repeated attempt or attempts by other students. The focus should be on the safety and well-being of the attempter, the family and professionals associated with the attempter, the well-being of the other students and staff in the school, and the smooth re-entry of the student into the school.
After-care in school settings includes:
Safety, confidentiality and communication
- Ensure physical health of attempter.
- Discuss and establish confidentiality protocol.
- Pre-arrange school liaisons to deal with parents, outside agencies and media.
- Inform school liaisons about the attempt and have them inform the parents of the attempter (if necessary).
- Recommend counselling for the attempter and family and provide them with a list of community resources.
- Maintain ongoing contact with counselling agency as to treatment progress and goals (this will require signed consent for release of information).
- Maintain contact with parents regarding school work.
Student and staff care
- Respect student's privacy. Share information with staff only as necessary.
- If suicidal behaviour has been a "high profile" event, debrief key students (relatives, close friends, others directly involved) to provide fact-only information, diffuse anxiety, and emphasize positive reactions to stress.
- Understand that the student is at high risk of another attempt.
Goals for school personnel
- Document all information pertaining to the student's attempt, the school's follow-up and the parent's response.
- Make every effort to facilitate the suicidal student's return to school.
- Be available, demonstrate concern, maintain realistic expectations, provide perspective, and remain sensitive in response to the attempter and other students.
- Avoid denial, blaming, dramatizing and glorifying the attempt.
Adapted from: White, J. (1994). After the crisis: facilitating the suicidal student's return to school. Guidance Counselling, 10 (1), p. 10-13.
Further information on postvention, crisis intervention and bereavement.
Considerations for School Settings
The risk of a repeated attempt or attempts by other students may increase without appropriate after-care procedures in a school setting.
After-care in school settings
It is important for schools to consider after-care procedures when there has been a suicide or a suicide attempt in order to reduce a repeated attempt or attempts by other students. The focus should be on the safety and well-being of the attempter, the family and professionals associated with the attempter, the well-being of the other students and staff in the school, and the smooth re-entry of the student into the school.
After-care in school settings includes:
Safety, confidentiality and communication
- Ensure physical health of attempter.
- Discuss and establish confidentiality protocol.
- Pre-arrange school liaisons to deal with parents, outside agencies and media.
- Inform school liaisons about the attempt and have them inform the parents of the attempter (if necessary).
- Recommend counselling for the attempter and family and provide them with a list of community resources.
- Maintain ongoing contact with counselling agency as to treatment progress and goals (this will require signed consent for release of information).
- Maintain contact with parents regarding school work.
Student and staff care
- Respect student's privacy. Share information with staff only as necessary.
- If suicidal behaviour has been a "high profile" event, debrief key students (relatives, close friends, others directly involved) to provide fact-only information, diffuse anxiety, and emphasize positive reactions to stress.
- Understand that the student is at high risk of another attempt.
Goals for school personnel
- Document all information pertaining to the student's attempt, the school's follow-up and the parent's response.
- Make every effort to facilitate the suicidal student's return to school.
- Be available, demonstrate concern, maintain realistic expectations, provide perspective, and remain sensitive in response to the attempter and other students.
- Avoid denial, blaming, dramatizing and glorifying the attempt.
Adapted from: White, J. (1994). After the crisis: facilitating the suicidal student's return to school. Guidance Counselling, 10 (1), p. 10-13.
Further information on postvention, crisis intervention and bereavement.