Responding to critical incidents: death by suicide
Last updated:Schools should ensure they have a strong understanding of the risks that bereavement by, or exposure to, suicide can pose to the wider school community. These risks can include:
- heightened distress
- increased vulnerability among already at‑risk students
- the potential for suicide contagion within peer groups or online spaces.
Having a clear awareness of these considerations is essential for safe, effective postvention practice.
Schools should also ensure that staff have read and are familiar with the Buckinghamshire Public Health Suicide Postvention Guidance. This guidance outlines best‑practice principles for:
- safe communication
- identifying vulnerable individuals
- working with families
- consulting with external agencies,
- and taking steps to reduce further risks.
Pre‑prepared plans, scripts, and communication templates should be reviewed and updated to align with the key messages and safety recommendations set out in this document.
If staff are unsure about any aspect of the guidance, particularly regarding wording, safe messaging, or the risks associated with different types of information sharing, they should seek advice from the Educational Psychology (EP) team before communicating with students, parents, staff, or external partners. This helps ensure that all communication is safe, accurate, and trauma‑informed, and that no information is shared that could unintentionally increase risk.
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