Guidelines to assist in responding to attempted suicide or suicide by ...

Restoring wellbeing of parents and familySHORT TERM checklist• provide straightforward and factual information about the incident, mental healthand wellbeing issues and strategies and approaches for dealing with difficultquestions• outline school policies on mental health and wellbeing (parent night)• provide practical coping strategies (in the school newsletter)that encouragestudents to think about specific things they can do when intense emotions suchas worry or sadness begin to overwhelm them• provide regular brochures with advice and community mental health and wellbeingresources for both students and parents (understand loss and grief) and detail theschool’s policies on mental health and wellbeing (update the school website andprovide internal school communications)• provide strategies for self-care and help (take time for yourself, simple relaxationand distraction skills, exercise, counselling etc.)• host small social events and school activities that build social cohesion andconnectedness for the school community (Saturday school gardening andbarbeque)• arrange a symbolic event if required by the school community foracknowledgement and closure. Some communities establish a permanentmemorial (sometimes physical, such as planting a tree or installing a bench orplaque) others establish something commemorative (such as a scholarship)• communicate to parents and family that regular access to school staff is availableif necessary.LONG TERM checklist• provide parent sessions on mental health and wellbeing issues regularlythroughout the year• host small social events and school activities that build social cohesion andconnectedness for the school community (Saturday school gardening andbarbeque)• work with the school council and parent groups to implement long term actionsand plans for communicating with parents (newsletters, forums etc.)• administer parent surveys which solicit views on how the school can improve themental health and wellbeing of the school community (MindMatters)• provide web links to mental health and wellbeing resources and local services.56Appendicies