NHS Education Scotland and Public Health Scotland have created three animations as part of their ‘Suicide Prevention Action Plan – Every Life Matters’ Strategy.
“These animations are designed to support learning about mental health, self-harm and suicide prevention specifically for the wider Children and Young Peoples workforce at the informed level”
What is mental health?
“We all have mental health. And everyone has a part to play in supporting Children and Young People’s mental health and keeping them safe.”
- Every child and young person is different – difference experiences through life can influence mental health both positively and negatively
- Mental health affects how we think, feel and make choices
- You can nurture positive mental health in children and young people though encouragement to build confidence and self-esteem
- Take time to familiarise yourself with the schools policies to promote positive mental health
- One supportive and trusted adult can help a young person cope with life’s challenges
How to Talk about Mental Health
Ask, be kind, acknowledge feelings, take the child or young person seriously
- Create the right environment e.g. going on a walk means you do not have to make eye contact
- Set a clear time, make sure the child or young person knows how long they have
- Involve the child or young person in decision making, encourage them and support them
Self Harm and Suicide Prevention
- Self harm does not necessarily mean the child or young person wants to die, it could be a way of coping or communicating the pain that they feel internally e.g. anxiety, guilt, low self-esteem, anger, shame and fear of failure
- The risk of suicide increases when self harm is used as a coping strategy over a long period of time
- Always take self-harm serious – help the child or young person get the right support
- If you are worried about a child or young person harming themselves:
- Talk to them about it
- Recognise their feelings are real
- Validate the persons experience
- Anyone of any age can have thoughts of suicide
- If you are worried about a child or young person having suicidal thoughts:
- Ask them
- Openly listen and discuss the young persons feelings and thoughts of suicide
- Don’t assume someone else has asked
- React with compassion, understanding and kindness
- You don’t have to have specialised knowledge, the best way to let someone know you care is to start a conversation:
- Ask open ended questions
- Show you are actively listening to their response
- Be direct in a caring and supportive way
- Be ALERT
- A sk
- L isten
- E ncourage
- R ight now
- By working together we can all support a child or young person
- Find someone to talk to about your own feelings, you do not need to go through this alone
