Page 8 - Guidance for Schools, Colleges, and Youth Services :: Portus

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Talking about suicide Be Open: Listen, Believe,
Research tells us that talking about suicide does not Support
put the idea into their head. In fact, talking with a
child or young person about suicide creates a safe You may be the first person that they have spoken to,
and it is important to establish a non-judgemental
space for them to be open and honest about how
they feel, and they will see you as a safe person to and trusting relationship. Often, individuals may feel
ashamed, embarrassed, confused, or powerless. Take
turn to.
time to listen, to believe in what they are telling you
How to respond and to support them through their journey.

As a professional you are seen as a safe person by
children and young people and by parents and
carers. If a child or young person has come to you, or
you think they may be self-harming, we understand
that talking about the subject can feel harder than
talking about other risk-taking behaviours such as
unsafe sex or alcohol use. However, for the child or
young person it can be a huge relief to have it voiced.
Refer to the Self-Harm and Suicide Prevention
Pathway to help you and your colleagues to make
decisions about the support required.
The following steps will help to create the best
environment to provide support.

You should:
• Provide a safe and confidential space
• Listen and explain the limits to confidentiality
• Reassure the child or young person that their
feelings are important and valid, and it may help
to talk about them
• Tell the young person how courageous they are to
be talking about difficult thoughts and feelings
• Stay calm and always provide an empathic and
non-judgemental approach
• Use the Risk and Strengths Assessment and
Pathway included in the toolkit to help you
understand the context of the behaviour and to
help you make an informed decision about next
steps
• Check in with them regularly to make sure the
support offered is making a difference

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