Course gives teachers skills to manage suicide and self-harm in students

Course gives teachers skills to manage suicide and self-harm in students

29 January 2019

Course gives teachers skills to manage suicide and self-harm in students

Teachers Australia-wide are now able to learn the skills necessary to detect, prevent and manage self-harm and suicide-related behaviours in young people, through a new graduate education program developed by Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health in collaboration with the University of Melbourne.

The Graduate Certificate in Managing Youth Self-Harm and Suicide is delivered by some of the world’s leading authorities on youth mental health. It is the first online graduate program open to teachers that specifically focuses on suicide and self-harm-related issues in young people.

Associate Professor Jo Robinson, head of suicide prevention research at Orygen, said rates of suicide, self-harm and mental ill-health were rising among school students. “Schools have long been accepted as an ideal setting for suicide prevention activities that target young people, and school staff are often a first port of call for distressed students,” Associate Professor Robinson said

“With youth suicide rates at their highest in several years it has never been more important for school staff to feel equipped to respond appropriately,” she said. “Teachers are well-placed to identify and intervene with young people at risk, however, these key ‘gatekeepers’ often report feeling under-skilled in their ability to respond adequately.”

“The evidence clearly shows that the right training can help teaching staff feel better able to both identify and support young people at risk,” Associate Professor Robinson said. “The Graduate Certificate in Managing Youth Self-Harm and Suicide has the capacity to upskill teachers and, as a result, they are better positioned to play a key role in supporting any vulnerable young people who they come into contact with.”

The Graduate Certificate in Managing Youth Self-Harm and Suicide is a 12-month part-time course consisting of four subjects.

Further information on the course is available here