Self-Harm/Suicide Management | Teach Special Education

Student Needs	IPRC Exceptionalities	Diagnosed Conditions
Aggression Management Anger/Frustration Management Anxiety Management Articulation Skills Attendance Strategies Attention Skills Assistive Technology Skills Blind/Vision Impaired Bullying Management Skills Central Auditory Processing Deafness Depression/Sadness Management Disengagement/Motivation Strategies Eating Disorder Strategies Emotional Regulation English Language Skills Executive Function Fine Motor Skills Gambling Disorder Grief Management Gross Motor Skills Hearing Intellectual Ability – High Intellectual Ability – Low Listening Comprehension Skills Low Vision Memory Skills Mental Health Strategies Metacognitive Skills Mobility Skills Non-Verbal Reasoning Organizational Skills Personal Care Personal Safety Phonological Processing Processing Speed Self-Advocacy Skills Self-Esteem Self-Harm/Suicide Management Self-Regulatory Skills Sensory Integration Skills Sequencing Skills Social Skills Substance Abuse Strategies Task Initiation Time Management Skills Transition Skills Verbal Ability Visual-Motor Skills Visual-Spatial Processing	Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Behaviour Blind and Low Vision Deaf and Hard of Hearing Developmental Disability (DD) Giftedness Language Impairment Learning Disabilities (LD) Mild Intellectual Disabilities Multiple Exceptionalities Physical Disability Speech Impairment	Acquired Brain Injury Alcohol-Related Neuro-developmental Disorder (ARND) Angelman Syndrome Anxiety Disorders Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Auditory Processing Disorder (Central) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Bipolar Disorder Blind/Vision Impaired Brain Injury Cerebral Palsy (CP) Conduct Disorder (CD) Concussions Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Deafness Depression Disorders Down Syndrome Eating Disorders Epilepsy Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAS/FAE) Fragile X Syndrome Gambling Disorder Intellectual Disabilities Klinefelter's Syndrome Learning Disabilities/Specific Learning Disorders Muscular Dystrophy (MD) Neurological Disabilities Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTS) Prader-Willi Syndrome Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) Seizure Disorders Selective Mutism Spina Bifida Tourette Syndrome Turner Syndrome (TS) Usher Syndrome William's Syndrome

Key Special Education Practices
Accommodations Alternative Programming Assistive Technology Board Special Education Plans Community Resources Differentiated Instruction Create an Inclusive & Positive Class Climate Identification Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) Individual Education Plan (IEP) Ministry of Education Resources Modified Programming Non-teacher Professional Assessments Teacher Assessments Safety/Emergency/Crisis Response Plan Professional Development Reporting on IEP Progress Tracking/Documenting Transition Plans

What it is

An area of student need involving thoughts, feelings, statements and/or actions of harming or killing oneself.

Teaching Strategies

For immediate concerns to student safety:
• Do not leave the student unattended/alone. This may mean that he/she is not released from school at dismissal time and would need to wait for parents/health care supports (e.g. 911) to arrive.
• Communicate situation with other staff and follow the Safety Plan, if there is one. Develop a safety plan if on is not already in place.
• Ensure that the student does not have access to items that they could be used to self-harm (pills, knives, blades, pins, rope, etc.).
• Be supportive and nurturing to the student. Ask directly if they are thinking of suicide and provide your factual reasons for asking this. Don’t fear that using this word will make them think of it or act on it.
• Ask the student if they want to talk and employ active listening techniques where the student’s comments are parroted back for clarification.
• Ask they student if they would like to talk about other topics that may help them feel better (e.g.: favourite hobby)
• Ask the student if they’d like to do a preferred activity (e.g.: listening to music, surfing the net, etc.)

Instructional

• Develop a Safety Plan with the student, other teachers, administrators and parents. Consider the amount of time out of class and the procedures to ensure student safety.
• Involve Child and Youth Workers, Social Workers, Guidance and/or psychology staff for support.
• Develop an Alternative Program Plan to help the student work on building self-esteem and worth.
• Develop a positive rapport with the student.
• Reinforce positive skills and attributes of the student in authentic situations with specifics.
• Maintain student privacy from other students.

Environmental

• Ask the student where he/she would like to sit, to feel the most comfortable and supported in learning.
• Ask the student ahead of group work to find a student grouping that they’d be comfortable and productive in.

Assessment

• Regularly conference with student privately to reinforce positives and provide an opportunity to make additional accommodations for him/her to be successful.
• Give the student advance notice of tests.
• Allow extra time for tests and assignments.
• Offer a different testing location to support anxiety management.

Teaching Strategies for Associated Areas of Student Needs:
• Attendance Strategies
• Anger/Frustration Management
• Anxiety Management
• Depression
• Emotional Regulation
• Personal Care
• Personal Safety
• Self-Esteem
• Self-Regulatory Skills
• Social Skills
• Time Management Skills
• Transition Skills

Characteristics notebook pencil

Students with self-harm/suicidal tendencies may make or write statements to peers or teachers in person to this effect or post their intentions on social media sites. Students may have cut marks on their bodies, often arms and legs. Students may be disconnected or seem preoccupied and sad. All signs should be taken seriously and communicated to administrators, parents and health care professionals.

Resources

ABC’s of Mental Health

ABC’s of Mental Health: Self-harm

Cutting

Kids Health Organization

Ontario’s Safe and Caring Schools Resource

Signs and Actions for Teachers

Suicide Tendencies: Recognizing the Warning Signs in Children and Young Adults

Risk factors

Supporting Minds, Ontario Ministry of Education p. 121-142

When Middle School Students Cut Themselves

Helping students and protecting the larger school community