April 25, 2007
Author: John Walshe
Education Editor
SCHOOLS are getting new guidelines on identifying warning signs of suicidal behaviour among students.
The guidelines have been prepared by the National Educational Psychological Service whose regional director Anne Marie Sheehan said schools would also be told how to respond if concerns arose about particular students.
She said that over the last two years many schools had been advised how to develop a critical incident management plan so they
could have a more effective response in the event of a tragedy. "Our track record on helping schools in the aftermath of an incident is good,but we would like to be able to do more about prevention," she added. "Guidelines on the issue of external suicide prevention programmes are also offered," she said in the current issue of the Social, Personal and Health and Education Journal. Some of the risk situations identified are:
- Separation from friends, classmates etc.
- Death of a loved one.
- Disciplinary problems.
Publication: Irish Independant, Wednesday 25th April 2007, Page 6
