B: In the first 24 Hours contact the parents/guardians to check their health and wellbeing and inquire whether there is anything that the Department can do to assist the school Principal convenes an Incident Management Team (IMT) and plans the following steps: who will be responsible for providing information to the students and the school community who will be responsible for the ongoing liaison with the parents/guardians who will be responsible for the ongoing liaison with police, mental health professions and other third parties who will be responsible for managing all incoming and outgoing information and communication (including sympathy cards, media interest) identification and planning support for, and additional supervision of, students who are at risk or vulnerable identification and planning support for any staff who may be affected by the suicide or at risk or vulnerable preparation of the information and written communication to be provided to students, staff and the school community identification of appropriate departmental staff for the school staff to approach for additional assistance and support as required identification of appropriate departmental staff for the students to approach for additional assistance and support as required inform on-site staff of the suicide and the support and assistance available to staff including free counselling and assistance from the DEECD Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Phone: 1800 337 068 – and explain the immediate plans for managing the situation. This is an opportunity to convey and seek relevant information provide staff with information on how to offer support, how to manage discussion about suicide, signs to watch out for and information on grief (samples and links provided in Section F), sources of support they can access for themselves and the option of not being involved in supporting students or discussing the incident with students if they feel this will risk their own wellbeing display relevant information about roles and special procedures in the staff room ensure all adults who will have contact with students in the following 24 hours are briefed: regular bus drivers, sports coaches, canteen staff, school support staff, Casual Relief Teachers, Out of School Hours Care staff, tutors etc. inform students of the suicide, via a prepared script, and in small groups rather than as a whole school community inform the wider school community via prepared letter (See Section G) Contact the Department’s Media Unit if assistance with media requests for information is required. The DEECD Media Unit can be contacted 24 hours, seven days a week. Phone: 9637 2871 consider the influence of social media sites consider the flexible timetable scheduling of classes and meetings.
Ybblue, the youth program of beyondblue, promotes the message that it’s acceptable to talk about depression and encourages young people, their families and friends to look out for each other and to get help when needed. A set of youth fact sheets with information on a variety of topics, including how to recognise depression and how to talk about it, what services are available to help young people and how to help friends and family who may be going through a tough time can be downloaded from the site. www.youthbeyondblue. com
School response checklist: Responding to a suicide by a student Section identification for referencing guidelines This school response checklist highlights the short term and longer term responses to a student’s suicide. Schools follow clear protocols when managing emergency and critical incidents; this checklist is a supporting document. A copy of the Guidelines to assist in responding to suicidal ideation, attempted suicide, or suicide by a student is available at http:// IF THE INCIDENT HAPPENS AT SCHOOL: Section A: Immediate response IN ALL CASES: ensure no one is in immediate danger administer First Aid phone 000 supervise affected students and move them away from the area quarantine the site until police arrive IF THE INCIDENT HAPPENS OUTSIDE SCHOOL: establish the facts with the parents/carers and the local police never leave affected students or staff alone, provide support report the incident to DEECD Security Services Unit on (03) 9589 6266 contact your Regional Office Emergency Management Coordinator ensure parents, guardians, next of kin, staff, students and the broader school community have immediate assistance for emotional distress document the incident and all actions undertaken Section B: In the first 24 hours PRINCIPAL TO: contact parents/carers to ask if they need assistance convene an Incident Management Team (IMT) inform staff of the suicide or attempted suicide and the support available to them, including free counselling from Employee Assistance Program (EAP) explain the immediate plans for the school to manage the situation provide staff (including bus drivers, sports coaches, canteen staff) with information on how to manage discussions with, or offer support to, students inform students of the suicide inform the wider school community of the suicide as appropriate consider flexible timetable scheduling of classes and meetings consider the influence of social media sites INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM TO: appoint person/s to be responsible for liaising with students, school community, parents/carers, police, mental health professions and other third parties appoint person/s to be responsible for in-and-outgoing communication (e.g. sympathy cards, media interest) identify and plan support for students (or staff) who are at risk or vulnerable draft information to be provided to students, staff and the school community identify school staff for students to approach for additional assistance and support if necessary display important information about roles and protocols in the staff room