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Teachers

Are you in tune…?

Teachers come into contact with emotionally distressed young people on a daily basis and are often the first to pick up on the fact that a child or young person needs help.

Depression and other problems can manifest themselves from early childhood onwards. Acute mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder often begin during the later teenage years. Recent research indicates that increased drug use in young people is causing more and more episodes of mental illness than ever before.

Although thankfully suicide is a rare occurrence, episodes of self-harm and / or suicidal behaviour are not. Early intervention can prevent things from getting much worse later on.

Signs of emotional distress may include:

  • changes in usual behaviour
  • anger and/or hostility
  • tearfulness
  • being very quiet and withdrawn
  • disruptive behaviour
  • difficulty concentrating and / or completing schoolwork
  • being missing from the classroom

Children and young people can become upset for many reasons, for example;

  • breakup with boy or girlfriend
  • bullying
  • bereavement
  • upsetting home circumstances
  • mental health problems
  • developing a mental illness
  • using drugs and/or alcohol
  • physical, sexual or emotional abuse
  • difficulties with sexuality
  • fear of underachievement

Things that seem insignificant or even trivial to adults can be of monumental importance to young people who may get them totally out of proportion.

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How do you know if someone is thinking about suicide?

More often than not - you don't!

However these are pretty strong clues:

  • self inflicted injury
  • talking or writing about dying either openly or covertly
  • giving away possessions
  • feelings of hopelessness, boredom or self hatred

How you can help

Find out about the support network available in your school or college.

Then:

  • ask the young person what's wrong
  • listen to what they are saying, take it seriously
  • make it clear that you care about them
  • reassure them that things can and probably will get better
  • involve parents, carers or friends if you think it's appropriate
  • keep an open dialogue going
  • try to persuade them to share information with people who can help
  • give information about where they can get help

Don't:

  • make light of it
  • criticise or be judgmental
  • pressurise them about their school work
  • make assumptions - self confident young people do not necessarily have high self esteem, intelligence and motivation do not always go together hand in hand!
  • break confidences unless absolutely necessary

If you think that the young person's safety is at risk, you will have to report it. Try to get their permission first.

If you think there may be a greater risk to the young person by disclosing sensitive information you need to record your view and consult with the colleague responsible for child protection.

What if someone self harms or makes a suicide attempt?

Any act of self harm (however trivial it may appear to be) should be taken seriously since this is the way the young person is trying to communicate strong feelings of unhappiness, anger or despair.

Acts of self-harm are not necessarily suicidal behaviour. Sometimes self-harm is used as a coping mechanism to dull mental distress. It can take many forms including cutting the skin. Girls are more likely to self-harm than boys.

Young people who self-harm are in a high risk group for suicide.

What if a member of the school or college takes their own life?

This doesn't just apply to pupils or students - staff can be vulnerable too.

PAPYRUS recommends;

  • a key person in the school or college to be responsible for co-ordinating the organisation's response
  • this in consultation with the LEA (or Children and Young People's Services Department at the Local Authority) and specialist bereavement support organisations Links
  • the person's death should be openly talked about and formally acknowledged
  • copy cat suicides can and do happen, therefore the death must not be 'glamorised' in any way
  • the 'disadvantages' of taking one's own life should be emphasised
  • the details of how they died be kept to a minimum
  • staff and pupils should be encouraged to talk through their feelings not only immediately after the person has died but also in the ensuing weeks and months

Contact details for organisations that can help – including our helpline HOPELineUK - should be prominently displayed wherever possible. This includes memorial websites.

Suicide can have a profound impact on the wellbeing of those left behind.
Some people will remain troubled by it for a long time.

If you are worried about a young person in your school or college, call the PAPYRUS helpline HOPELineUK on 0800 068 41 41 for further advice and information.

Recommended reading

a) see PAPYRUS Publications.

b) 'Promoting Children's Mental Health within Early Years and School settings'. DfEE Publications, PO Box 5050, Sherwood Park, Annesley. Nottingham. NG15 0DJ Tel: 0845 6022260 Quote ref: 0112/2001.
Can be downloaded from: http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/0121-2001.pdf.

c) 'So Young, So Sad, So Listen' by Philip Graham and Carol Hughes. Royal College of Psychiatrists. ISBN 0-902241-80-X Available from Amazon.

d) Emotional Health and Well-being (EHWB)
This guidance sets out the key advice to staff in schools and those working with schools, on how to promote emotional health and well-being so as to achieve National Healthy School Status.
Can be downloaded from: http://home.healthyschools.gov.uk/.