SUICIDE CONVERSATIONS – FRONTLINE WORKERS

HOSTING SUICIDAL CONVERSATIONS WITH EMPATHETIC & COMPASSIONATE RESPONSES

Duration: 6 hours of learning Max no of learners: 14

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Hosting Suicidal Conversations will equip participants with the skills and confidence to manage a conversation with someone who is having thoughts of suicide or showing signs of suicidal behaviour, in an empathetic and compassionate way.

This course focuses on skills and strategies for asking about, exploring and managing client suicide ideation and impulses. It is not about approaching a stranger (but would help in that situation too).

TARGET AUDIENCE – CARE, SUPPORT & CLINICAL/HEALTH STAFF IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS:

Anyone whose role brings them into contact with people who may have suicidal thoughts, feelings and behaviours feelings.

There are many front-line workers who support people with mental health issues that are not empowered with the knowledge and skills to host suicide conversations. A large percentage of these frontline workers still believe that talking about suicide might ‘give the person ideas’ or ‘tip the person over the edge’. All the research into suicide finds that when people with suicidal thoughts and feelings are given the opportunity to speak about how they are feeling, it “reduces the intensity of holding it all in” Jonny Benjamin 2017.

This course is therefore suitable for those in health care, mental health care, supported living, education and childcare, public safety – law enforcement, prison services, approved housing; social services, housing services, support workers in all services, etc.

THIS COURSE IS DELIVERED USING A RANGE OF METHODS AND RESOURCES INCLUDING:

Face to Face tutor participative facilitation (whether in the classroom or online), scenarios for group discussions, polls, question and answer time, videos and end of session assessment.

THIS COURSE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AND MAPPED TO CURRENT OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS, QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORKS AND THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS AND RESOURCES:

  • NHS / Health Education England – Self-harm & suicide prevention competence framework (2018)
  • Business in the community – reducing the risk of suicide
  • NCISH report 2023 (National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide & Safety in Mental Health)

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course the participant will be able to:

  1. Explore their own thoughts, feelings and attitudes towards suicide
  2. Make changes to current language that may not be appropriate or supportive or helpful.
  3. Differentiate between sympathy, empathy and compassion
  4. Make use of current suicide statistics
  5. Explore suicide risk factors and protective factors based on research.
  6. Identify suicide warning signs in order to identify when to commence a suicide conversation
  7. Host a conversation with someone who is having thoughts of suicide or showing signs of suicidal behaviour (assess and respond to the risk of suicide)
  8. Respond with empathy and compassion during the suicide conversation
  9. Signpost or connect the person for further support or take action to keep the person safe in the immediate future
  10. Discuss myths versus facts about suicide

LENGTH OF COURSE:

1 Day (09:30 to 16:30)

Time breakdownFromToMinutes
Registration09:1509:3015
Session 109:3010:4070
AM tea break10:4011:0020
Session 211:0012:4070
Lunch12:4013:2040
Session 313:2014:4070
PM tea break14:4015:0020
Session 315:0016:1070
Assessment16:1016:3020

Entry requirements – No prerequisites required

Assessment type – General T/F at the end of the course

Certification/Qualification – Downloadable certificate of attendance

All courses are accompanied by instructional materials.