suicide prevention schools Archives

End of Term, New Challenges

As another school year comes to a close, many children, young people, families, and professionals are enjoying a well-earned break. Summer can bring opportunities for rest, connection and fun—but for many, it can also bring uncertainty, isolation and increased vulnerability.

For those of us working in mental health, safeguarding and suicide prevention, the summer holidays are an important reminder that risk doesn’t take a holiday.

🎒 School May Be Out… But Support Needs Continue

Schools provide much more than education. For many children and young people, they offer:

💙 Trusted adults to talk to

🤝 Consistent routines and structure

🍽️ Access to meals and practical support

🛡️ A safe environment away from difficult home situations

👀 Opportunities for concerns to be noticed early

When schools close, these protective factors can temporarily disappear. For some young people, this can increase feelings of loneliness, anxiety or hopelessness, while safeguarding concerns may become less visible until the new term begins.

🧠 Mental Health Doesn’t Pause for the Holidays

The summer holidays can affect people differently. While many enjoy a break, others may face increased stress due to:

Increased social isolation

Family conflict or relationship difficulties

The ongoing cost of living pressures, making it harder for families to afford childcare, activities, food or holidays

Anxiety about exam results or starting a new school, college or university

Reduced access to support services

Changes in routine that impact existing mental health conditions

For many families, the six-week break can be one of the most financially challenging times of the year. With free school meals temporarily unavailable, childcare costs rising, and the pressure to keep children entertained, financial worries can significantly affect mental wellbeing. These pressures can heighten stress, increase feelings of hopelessness, and place additional strain on family relationships.

It’s also important to remember that adults working in education, healthcare and safeguarding may be experiencing many of the same challenges. Alongside the emotional demands of supporting others, the continued cost of living pressures can contribute to stress, burnout and compassion fatigue.

Taking time to prioritise your own wellbeing isn’t selfish—it’s essential.

🚨 Staying Suicide Aware

Although there is no single “high-risk season” for suicide, periods of transition and reduced support can increase vulnerability for some individuals.

This summer, consider:

✅ Reviewing any existing safety plans before schools close.

✅ Ensuring children, young people and vulnerable adults know where they can access help during the holidays.

✅ Checking in with colleagues who may also be feeling emotionally drained after a demanding academic year.

✅ Encouraging conversations about mental health before a crisis develops.

Small conversations really can make a life-changing difference.

📚 Invest in Learning

For organisations, the quieter summer period can provide an excellent opportunity to strengthen knowledge and confidence before September.

Suicide prevention training can help staff to:

Recognise the warning signs of suicide
Respond confidently to someone experiencing suicidal thoughts Understand effective signposting and referral pathways
Build safer, more compassionate workplaces and communities
Strengthen safeguarding practice across teams

Whether you work in education, healthcare, local authorities, charities or the voluntary sector, investing in training helps ensure your teams are prepared to support those who need it most.

Thank you for being part of a growing movement committed to compassion, inclusion, and suicide prevention.

To find out how to train with us, visit our training pages or contact us on training@mentalhealthlearning.co.uk to discuss your needs.

🌞 Finally…

Supporting others every day takes emotional energy.

This summer, give yourself permission to:

🌿 Take regular breaks.

🚶 Spend time outdoors where possible.

📱 Disconnect from work when you’re able.

❤️ Connect with family, friends and the people who help refill your own cup.

The work you do changes lives—but you deserve care and support too.

As classrooms empty and routines change, let’s remember that mental health and safeguarding remain everyone’s responsibility.

By staying connected, continuing conversations and investing in suicide prevention awareness, we can help ensure that no one feels alone over the summer.

From all of us, thank you for the compassion, dedication and commitment you show every day.

We wish you a safe, restorative and well-deserved summer break. 🌞💛

Thank you for the work you do—and for continuing to be part of a community that cares.

With warm wishes,

Alice and the Mental Health Learning Team 🧠

Issue 19 | March 2026

Safeguarding & Suicide Prevention in Schools – What’s Changing in KCSIE 2026

The Department for Education has launched a consultation on proposed revisions to the statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), due to be updated for September 2026.

KCSIE is the cornerstone of safeguarding in schools and colleges, setting out legal duties and good practice for protecting children and young people. These revisions aim to keep the guidance up to date with emerging risks and strengthen expectations around safeguarding systems and staff capability.

🔍 Key Updates with Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Relevance

While the public consultation document doesn’t single out suicide prevention as a distinct requirement, its emphasis on wellbeing, early help and comprehensive safeguarding training creates a strong foundation for embedding suicide prevention awareness into wider staff development:

Child-centred safeguarding is central – staff must recognise early signs of risk, changes in behaviour, mental health concerns and act promptly.

Staff training and refreshers are highlighted as a core duty – creating an opportunity to include targeted suicide prevention training alongside other safeguarding training.

Strengthened mental health-related content in safeguarding guidance provides a pathway to equip staff with confidence and skills to support students and signpost help early.

gov.uk – keeping children safe in education

📣 Why This Matters

Suicide remains a leading cause of death among young people. Embedding high-quality suicide prevention and mental health training within statutory safeguarding frameworks helps ensure:

School staff are confident recognising and responding sensitively to mental health distress.

Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) and pastoral teams integrate suicide prevention into early help and safeguarding practices.

Schools and colleges build safer, supportive environments that reduce stigma and connect young people to help.

📅 Next Steps

The consultation runs until 22 April 2026 — safeguarding professionals, leaders, and training providers are encouraged to respond and reinforce the importance of robust suicide prevention training as part of broader safeguarding duties.

Together we can ensure our schools not only comply with statutory guidance but truly support the wellbeing of every young person.

Mental Health Learning

At Mental Heath Learning we recognise the importance of equipping those who work with children in our education system with the right skills and the confidence to be able to support children and young people.

ASIST is developed by the World Leaders of suicide prevention training – LivingWorks Education. It is the best suicide intervention skills training you can attend.

ASIST is a suicide intervention training course that not only teaches the theory and practice of being suicide alert and how to conduct a full suicide intervention with follow-up. But provides multiple opportunities for participants to put learning into practice. This is an active learning experience which sets ASIST aside from other shorter theory based courses.

If you, your workplace or your community could benefit from this additional training in light of the consultation, please contact us to find out how we can help.