Page 12 - Guidance for Schools, Colleges, and Youth Services :: Portus

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Roles and responsibilities
THE SCHOOLS OR COLLEGES
GOVERNING BODY
The governing body has the legal duty to safeguard
and promote the welfare of their students. There
should be a nominated governor for safeguarding
who will have an oversight of responses to self-harm
and suicide.

THE HEADTEACHER OR PRINCIPAL

The Headteacher/Principal has responsibility for
establishing effective safeguarding procedures Download PDF here
relating to self-harm, to ensure the duty of care of https://www.richmond.gov.uk/portus/
students and staff. files/schools-colleges-checklist-
This should be supported by the implementation of supporting-effective-practice.pdf
a Self-harm Policy using the Self-harm Suicide
Prevention Guidelines Checklist

STAFF
Students may choose to confide in a member of staff if they are concerned about their own well-being, or that
of a peer. Students may present with injuries to student services or reception staff in the first instance and it is
important that these frontline staff are aware that an injury may be self-inflicted.
Staff should know what to do in such situations and follow a clear protocol agreed by the school/college in
advance.
Staff may experience a range of feelings in response to self-harm in a student. However, to offer the best
possible help to students it is important to maintain a supportive and non-judgemental attitude – a student
who has chosen to discuss their concerns with a member of staff is showing a considerable amount of
courage and trust.

Staff should: Staff should try to avoid the following:
• Enable students to feel in control by asking what • Avoid saying ‘self-harmer’ – it is important to talk
they would like to happen and explore what they about a behaviour and not label a person. The best
might need to help them terminology is to refer to ‘self-harming behaviour’
• Provide reassurance that help is available • Avoid ‘commit’ suicide – use take their own life or
die by suicide
• Use active listening techniques -
• Avoid asking a student to display injuries or scars
• Be non-judgemental
or push for detailed information on the self-harm
• Be reassuring and support them to seek help behaviour (unless they wish to share)
• Check that they have access to self-care and • Avoid making assumptions or stereotyping
treatment of wounds, if relevant behaviour - don’t say ‘people generally/ usually…’
• Involve them in any safeguarding or disclosures to Everyone is different
parents/others • Never refer to self-harm as a ‘failed suicide
attempt’
• Avoid asking a student to stop self-harming as this
may be the only coping strategy they have
• Not work outside their remit and seek appropriate
guidance from designated leads.

Portus - A Safe Space - Guidance on Self-harm and Suicide Prevention for Schools, Colleges and Youth Services.
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