Steps to handling a crisis

• Find help immediately
  • Notify the principal and crisis management team convener immediately.
• Emergency assistance
  • Call 999 immediately for emergency assistance.
• Notify parents as soon as possible
  • The student's parents should be notified as soon as possible and asked to assist with the crisis. While parents are often willing to "persuade" their students, their presence can also precipitate suicide attempts, as adolescents often use them as spectators. Especially if the parents are the cause of the suicidal behavior, even if they are notified to come to school, it is crucial to ensure they are not present in front of the adolescent.
• Never attempt to seize weapons
  • If a teenager is armed with a weapon (such as a knife), teachers should never attempt to seize it. Teachers should exercise extreme caution and avoid face-to-face negotiations with teenagers. Try to persuade them to put down the weapon first. Any method that reduces impulsive behavior can save lives.
• Never leave youth alone in high-risk situations
  • The most important principle in crisis management is to never leave a high-risk youth alone. At least one teacher must stay with the student and provide adequate supervision until the police or parents can assume supervision.
• Encourage students to speak out about their problems
  • Giving him the opportunity to vent his hostile emotions may reduce his suicidal impulses. However, teachers should avoid showing sympathy or making derogatory remarks about teenagers during this process.
• Ask directly if you would commit suicide
  • Asking teenagers directly if they are suicidal will get them talking about it. Asking about suicide will not lead to suicide.
• Express emotions
  • Many teenagers who attempt suicide experience depression. If teachers ask teenagers about their emotions, they are usually willing to disclose it. Teachers can also use this opportunity to express their understanding of the teenagers' feelings and establish a good working relationship with them.
• Provide solutions
  • Teenagers may feel hopeless and helpless, so teachers should offer suggestions and point out solutions. Teachers should avoid guaranteeing that their solutions are effective, as these solutions may fail and thus undermine their confidence in the teacher.
• Temporary hospitalization service
  • Parents are advised to send their children to the hospital for temporary accommodation.
• Community Resources
  • Provide youth/parents with a list of community agencies, such as suicide prevention hotlines, counseling services, and hospital addresses.
• Follow-up events
  • If applicable, meet with the parents afterwards to follow up on the incident.
• Report an incident
  • Report all incidents of suicide etc. to the education authorities.
• Provide necessary guidance
  • If possible, try to solve his problem or relieve his stress.
• Notify parents
  • If a teenager is experiencing significant distress, his parents need to be notified.
• Find help
  • If necessary, get an extra teacher to help.
• Helpline
  • Provide students with a helpline hotline (if you have something important to discuss with them and cannot discuss it in detail, at least they can still find someone else to talk to).
• Next meeting
  • Arrange with the teenager the time and date of the next meeting, etc.
• Group Counseling
  • If teens are experiencing stress, offer group counseling.
• Referral
  • If adolescents need mental health/psychiatric services, teachers should refer them and provide relevant information.
• Follow-up counseling
  • Arrange regular meetings to provide young people with follow-up counseling services and support.

Source: "Youth Suicide – Understanding, Prevention and Crisis Management - Xie Yongling" p.194