Category: Providing individual support

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Exploring suicide and stigma with different communities: Suicide Prevention Consortium blogs and audiograms

As part of the Suicide Prevention Consortium* with Samaritans, Support After Suicide Partnership and We Are With You, we’ve been exploring suicide and stigma in Roma, Showmen, Gypsy and New Traveller communities. This...

Talking Faith in Suicide Prevention Digital Guide by Faith Action

Faith Action have developed a digital guide on faith in suicide prevention for front-line workers, people leading front-line teams and anyone planning or implementing suicide prevention or postvention strategies in...

Exploring experiences of accessing support for alcohol issues and suicidal ideation

With our partners in the Suicide Prevention Consortium*, we conducted a survey of people with lived experience of alcohol issues and suicidal thoughts/feelings/acts, and the barriers preventing more people from...

Tomorrow is too late: suicide prevention support for people with no fixed address

With the NSPA’s partners in the Suicide Prevention Consortium*, we have been exploring suicide prevention support for people with no fixed address. This 2024 Suicide Prevention Consortium report highlights what...

The economic cost of suicide in the UK

This report by Samaritans highlights the cost of suicide in the UK. Samaritans worked with David McDaid (Associate Professorial Research Fellow at the London School of Economics) to work out how much suicide costs to...

Understood: Supporting people bereaved by suicide who are neurodivergent

This resource by Support After Suicide Partnership helps professionals support people bereaved by suicide who are, or may be, neurodivergent.

National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health Annual Report 2024 including easy read version

The 2024 NCISH annual report provides findings relating to people aged 10 and above who died by suicide between 2011 and 2021 across all UK countries.

Suicide rates in high-risk high-harm perpetrators of domestic abuse in England and Wales: a cohort study

This study aimed to estimate the suicide rate in high-risk, high-harm perpetrators of DA, utlising data collected as part of Drive, which supports and challenges perpetrators of DA to reduce their harmful behaviours.

Charlie Waller Trust Talking About Suicide – Guides for College and University Staff

In response to teaching staff raising concerns about student suicide and not always feeling well equipped to respond, The Charlie Waller Trust has created this guide for college staff

Suicide prevention strategy for England 2023-2028

HM Government’s cross-sector suicide prevention strategy 2023-2028 and action plan.

Mind Leeds Lived Experience Involvement – guidance for best practice

Mind Leeds were commissioned by the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership to deliver a co-production project focused on suicide prevention. These guidelines for best practice have been written by the project's team...

The functions of self‐harm in young people and their perspectives about future general practitioner‐led care: A qualitative study

This qualitative study using interviews with young people aged between 16 and 25 years with a personal history of self-harm aimed to explore the functions of self-harm in young people and their perspectives on future...

Parents guide – Supporting your child – self-harm and suicide

PAPYRUS created this self harm and suicide support guide for parents following discussions with parents who have experience of supporting a young person struggling with their mental health.

LGBTQ+ Bereavement by Suicide Research Study

Support After Suicide Partnership commissioned Crossland and Jones to carry out research into the experiences of suicide bereavement among people who identify as LGBTQ+, this report presents the findings.

Understanding and providing recommendations for good practice mental health provision in the rail industry:an industry wide study

Samaritans’ Rail Programme and Mental Health at Work have published new research on mental health within employees in the rail industry. The study aims to promote good practice recommendations for mental health...

Suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt and non-suicidal self-harm amongst lesbian, gay and bisexual adults compared with heterosexual adults: analysis of data from two nationally representative English household surveys

This study aims to compare differences in suicidality and self-harm between specific lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) groups, and investigate whether minority stress factors might contribute to any associations,...

Support guide for services working with Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities bereaved by suicide

This support guide by Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP) has been developed to help services improve how they appropriately support people from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities who have been bereaved by...

Mind’s Influence and Participation Toolkit

The Influence and Participation Toolkit has been developed by Mind, but it is recognised as a valuable resource for anyone whose organisation or workplace wants to engage with people with mental health problems in a...

Armed Forces Suicide Prevention Strategy and Action Plan

This Armed Forces Suicide Prevention Strategy by the Ministry of Defence provides the strategic framework within which the Ministry of Defence will take further action to reduce suicide and better support those affected...

Policy briefing: Practical and financial advice within suicide prevention services can make them more effective

Researchers from the NIHR ARC West conducted a study to understand the impact of emotional and practical support on men who had experienced suicidal feelings or made suicidal attempts. The support provided directly...

Preventing Suicides in High Rise Buildings and Structures: City of London Corporation

The City of London Corporation published this guidance to assist developers and architects of high rise buildings and structures in mitigating suicide risk at the design stage

Understanding self-harm and suicidal behaviours in South Asian communities in the UK: systematic review and meta-synthesis

This study aims to review the existing qualitative evidence on self-harm and suicidal behaviours in South Asian communities in the UK.

Involving people with lived experience in suicide prevention and bereavement support FAQs

This document aims to help those working in mental health and crisis services, to support young autistic people experiencing a mental health crisis. It explains the context of mental health challenges and suicidality...

The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on different groups

'The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on different groups', was presented at the National Suicide Prevention Alliance 2023 Conference by Professor Ann John. Here you can view the presentation and video.

MBRRACE report: Saving lives, Improving mothers’ care

This report by the MBRRACE-UK collaboration highlights maternal suicide as the leading cause of direct death in the year following pregnancy and includes details on the rise in maternal deaths by suicide during this...

NCISH Learning resource: Safer care for patients given a diagnosis of personality disorder

The National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH) have produced a new online resource to help staff working in mental health services understand more about what it means to have been...

Alcohol and suicide: insights from LGBTQ+ communities’ experiences

As part of the Suicide Prevention Consortium with Samaritans, Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP) and With You, the NSPA worked with LGBTQ+ people with lived experience to explore the relationship between alcohol...

Study: Emergency department presentations with suicide and self-harm ideation: a missed opportunity for intervention?

This study aims to examine the characteristics of those presenting to Emergency Departments with suicidal ideation and quantify the associated risk of suicide and other causes of death. Identifying people with suicidal...

Money and Mental Health Policy Institute: Ethnicity, money and mental health policy briefing

While experiences with money and mental health are not pre-determined by someone's ethnicity, this paper provides some key examples of the specific challenges people from minoritised ethnic groups can encounter, and how...

The latest national suicide figures and how these are shaping the national suicide prevention strategy

'The latest national suicide figures and how these are shaping the national suicide prevention strategy' was presented at the National Suicide Prevention Alliance 2023 Conference by Professor Louis Appleby, Chair of the...

Learning Legacies: Bringing visibility to domestic abuse-related suicide

'Learning Legacies: Bringing visibility to domestic abuse-related suicide', was presented at the National Suicide Prevention Alliance 2023 Conference by Sarah Dangar. Here you can view the presentation video and slides...

Linking Suicide Prevention Strategies with Autism Strategies and including the Autistic community

'Linking Suicide Prevention Strategies with Autism Strategies: A lived experience perspective' was presented at the National Suicide Prevention Alliance 2023 Conference by NSPA Lived Experience Influencer, Sue Willgoss....

London Borough of Barnet and Partners Suicide Prevention Campaign – Evaluation report

As part of the Suicide Prevention Consortium with Samaritans, Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP) and With You, the NSPA worked with people with lived experience to explore the relationship between economic...

Insights from experience: economic disadvantage, suicide and self-harm

Time to count: supporting children after a parent dies by suicide

A Churchill Fellowship Report by Anna Wardley, Founder of The Luna Foundation, which aims to share how we can better support children who lose a parent to suicide by seeking out best practice around the world to share...

Supporting autistic children and young people through crisis

National Suicide Prevention Strategy Online Discussion Notes, 3rd March 2023

On 3rd March 2023, more than 30 NSPA members came together for an online discussion led by Jacqui Morrissey, Assistant Director of Influencing at Samaritans and Co-Chair of the National Suicide Prevention Alliance,...

National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health Annual Report 2023 including easy read version

The 2023 NCISH annual report provides findings relating to people aged 10 and above who died by suicide between 2010 and 2020 across all UK countries. Additional findings are presented on the number of people under...

Hidden & High Risk: Reflections on the need for prioritisation of suicide prevention activities with individuals under probation supervision

At the NSPA 2023 Conference, the Probation Service presented on new national data on probation self-inflicted deaths and reflect on current priorities, challenges and suggestions for change.

The benefits of a GP Mental Health Fellowship scheme to the suicide prevention agenda

At the NSPA 2023 Conference, Sussex Health and Care ran a workshop on 'The benefits of a GP Mental Health Fellowship scheme to the suicide prevention agenda'. These are the slides from that workshop,

Internet Safety, Suicide and Self-harm; how can we support people to have safe and positive experiences online?

At the NSPA 2023 Conference, Samaritans Online Harms team ran a workshop on 'Internet Safety, Suicide and Self-harm; how can we support people to have safe and positive experiences online?' These are the slides from...

Supporting LGBTQ+ young people with suicidal thoughts; Grassroots Suicide Prevention and Allsorts Youth Project

At the NSPA 2023 Conference, Grassroots Suicide Prevention and Allsorts Youth Project ran a workshop on supporting LGBTQ+ young people with suicidal thoughts

Domestic abuse and suicide – what can we learn from the voices of victims of domestic abuse who have tried to take their own lives?

At the NSPA 2023 Conference, Kent County Council and Perpuity Research ran a workshop on Domestic abuse and suicide – what can we learn from the voices of victims of domestic abuse who have tried to take their own...

Suicide inequalities in the Gypsy & Traveller communities

At the NSPA 2023 Conference, Friends, Families and Travellers ran a workshop on suicide inequalities in the Gypsy & Traveller communities. These are the slides from the workshop.

How to involve people with lived experience to shape policies around health inequalities

At the NSPA 2023 Conference, members of the Suicide Prevention Consortium - the NSPA, an NSPA Lived Experience Influencer, Samaritans and We Are With You, ran a workshop on how to involve people with lived experience to...

NSPA Conference 2023 Workshop slides: How to involve people with lived experience to shape policies around health inequalities

Suicide prevention infographics Punjabi translations

Sikh Forgiveness has created suicide prevention infographics in both Punjabi and English on how to support someone who is experiencing suicidal thoughts.

How to support neurodivergent children and young people at risk of suicide or self harm

This briefing paper was prepared for front line professionals by the Kent and Medway Suicide Prevention Team. It draws on evidence produced by a Positive Practice Audit where 18 professionals reviewed cases they have...

Framework: Supporting Mental Health staff following the death of a patient by suicide

Royal College of Psychiatrists published this prevention and postvention framework to support mental health staff following the death of a patient by suicide. The death of a patient by suicide can have a profound...

Report: Risk of suicide after diagnosis of severe physical health conditions

Universities UK, Samaritans nd PAPYRUS, the UK’s national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide, have published guidance to help university leaders give compassionate, confident and timely support when...

Universities UK Guidance for Universities on how to respond to a student suicide

Cost of Living Online Discussion Notes

From November 2022, NSPA Members are meeting monthly to discuss the impact of cost of living increases on suicide prevention. This page features the notes from each discussion outlining the challenges our members and...

Highlighting the link between domestic abuse and suicide: Kent County Council

This local research on the link between domestic abuse and suicide has encouraged other organisations to look into the link and further studies have backed up Kent’s findings. The Secretary of State highlighted...

Beyond the Streets – Lived experience: Learning from others

This resource is for anyone interested in or working with people with lived experience of a social issue, such as suicide, or a combination of issues, which has had a direct impact on their lives. It is designed to help...

NCISH Toolkit for specialist mental health services and primary care

The National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH) has collected in-depth information on all suicides in the UK since 1996, with the overall aim of improving safety for all mental health...

Walk With Us: A toolkit for supporting children, young people and families affected or bereaved by suicide

This toolkit developed by NHS South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw was produced to identify what support children, young people and families would like to see following a bereavement by suicide.

Creating hope in suicide prevention: a collection of responses for World Suicide Prevention Day

For World Suicide Prevention Day 2022, we asked people to share how they create hope when they’re going through a tough time. You can view each of the responses on this virtual board.

Suicide rates by ethnic group among patients in contact with mental health services

This study aimed to examine suicide rates among minority ethnic psychiatric patients and describe their social and clinical characteristics.

Tackling Suicide Inequalities in Gypsy and Traveller Communities

This resource provides guidance for a variety of public health and healthcare professionals on how to ensure Gypsy and Traveller communities are included within suicide prevention planning and support.

Intimate partner violence, suicidality, and self-harm: a probability sample survey of the general population in England

This study aimed to investigate the associations between experience of lifetime and past-year intimate partner violence (IPV) with suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, and self-harm in the past year.

A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences and Perceptions of Interpersonal Relationships Prior to Attempting Suicide in Young Adults

This study interviewed 10 young adults with a history of suicide attempts to investigate experiences of social support and loneliness prior to a suicide attempt.

Centre for Mental Health Briefing on poverty, economic inequality and mental health

The Centre for Mental Health have produced a new briefing highlighting the evidence around the links between deprivation, poverty, economic inequality and mental health.

Responding to an Unexpected Death: Support for Schools and Colleges

A Pan-Sussex toolkit co-developed by schools, colleges, the community & voluntary sector, and the police. The toolkit is intended to support schools and colleges in Brighton & Hove to respond to an unexpected death, or...

Supporting general practitioners in the assessment and management of suicide risk in young people: an evaluation

This study aimed to conduct a local evaluation of the use of the RCGP Suicide in Children and Young People: Tips for GPs resource in practice and its impact on GPs’ clinical decision making.

Royal College of General Practitioners: Suicide in children and young people: Tips for General Practitioners

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among children and young people (CYP) aged 15-29 worldwide. The Royal College of General Practitioners has put together this list of tips for assessing suicide risk among...

Suicide bereavement in the UK: Descriptive findings from a national survey

Those bereaved by suicide are a high-risk group of adverse health outcomes and suicidal behavior, yet little is known about the experiences and support needs of these individuals in the UK. We conducted a national...

National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health Annual Report 2022

The 2022 annual report from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH) provides findings relating to people aged 10 and over who died by suicide between 2009 and 2019 across all...

Kent and Medway CYP Suicide Prevention Network Audit Sub Group: Three features and four golden threads of positive practice when supporting care leavers who express suicidal thoughts

In January 2021, an audit sub-group of the Kent and Medway Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention Network was established to improve the support for Children & Young People (CYP) at risk of suicide and self-harm. Practice...

Samaritans: Insights from experience: alcohol and suicide

Following survey activity late in 2021 looking at alcohol use, suicide and self-harm, the Suicide Prevention Consortium has published a policy briefing and two-page ‘snapshot’ with findings and recommendations.

Adult Self-harm Management Toolkit NHSE: Mid and South Essex Self-harm and Suicide Prevention Programme

The focus of this toolkit is on spotting the signs of self-harm and how to respond to it, as well as raising awareness of self-harm and where to find support.

Samaritans: Towards a suicide-safer internet

Samaritans launched a new report, Towards a Suicide-Safer Internet, to mark Safer Internet Day 2022. The report outlines a vision for a suicide-safer internet and the role that government and industry need to play in...

Suicide in Children and Young People – National Child Mortality Database

This report draws on data from the NCMD to identify the common characteristics of children and young people who die by suicide,

First Hand: a support guide for people who have witnessed a suicide of someone they didn’t know

This guide, created by the Support After Suicide Partnership, Thrive LDN, Grassroots and Sussex Health and Care Partnership, is designed to support anyone affected by witnessing a suicide of someone they did not know.

Suicides in England and Wales: 2020 registrations – ONS data and Samaritans’ summary

New suicide statistics for England and Wales were released by the Office for National Statistics on 7th September 2021. The data covers registered deaths in England and Wales. This resource includes the ONS data as well...

Visiting your General Practitioner: A guide for young people with lived experience of self-harm or suicidality

This guide is designed to support young people with taking the first steps towards getting help with a mental health crisis. It was developed by researchers at the University of Birmingham in partnership with the Youth...

ONS Mortality from leading causes of death by ethnic group, England and Wales: 2012 to 2019

This article presents experimental statistics on ethnic differences in leading causes of death in England and Wales, using death registrations linked to self-reported ethnicity from the 2011 Census.

Self‑harm in children 12 years and younger: characteristics and outcomes based on the Multicentre Study of Self‑harm in England

This study describes the characteristics and outcomes of children under 13 years who presented following self-harm to five hospitals in England.

Leeds GATE Don’t Be Beat Project Evaluation and Learning

This report summarises the findings of Don't Be Beat, a project aimed to increase support networks available to Gypsies and Travellers in West Yorkshire experiencing mental distress and suicidal ideation.

Loneliness and self‑harm in adolescents during the first national COVID‑19 lockdown – Oxford Psychiatry

This study looks at adolescents' experiences of loneliness and self-harm during the first national lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Samaritans: One year on: how the coronavirus pandemic has affected wellbeing and suicidality

This report brings together analysis of anonymous Samaritans’ service data from calls and emails, and primary research with their listening volunteers, which took place at 7 different points during the year since...

Suicide by middle-aged men

This report from NCISH (National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health) describes findings from a national study combining multiple sources of information to examine the factors related to...

Engaging men earlier: a guide to service design

This new handbook on engaging men earlier from Samaritans provides five key principles for wellbeing groups, based on what men said was important to them.

Samaritans policy briefs: Suicide and self-harm prevention during Coronavirus

Samaritans have published a series of short documents exploring the effects of the pandemic on three groups of concern.

Samaritans guidelines for managing self-harm and suicide online

Samaritans launched their Managing Self Harm and Suicide Content Online guidelines in Sept 2020. Whilst the internet provides invaluable resources for individuals experiencing self-harm and suicidal feelings. It does...

Mind Your Language

The purpose of this report is to provide quantitative and qualitative information about the language men use in talking about mental health, with a view to providing recommendations for how services might best reach out...

Local Suicide Prevention Planning: A Practice Resource

Suicide prevention remains a national priority. At a local level it is encouraging to see that all Local Authorities have suicide prevention action plans and multi-agency partnerships in place; testament to the hard...

Addressing Mental Health and Psychosocial Aspects of COVID-19 Outbreak

This UN-led briefing note summarizes key mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) considerations in relation to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The brief was last updated February 2020.

Suicide-Safer Universities

Universities UK and PAPYRUS, the UK’s national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide, have published guidance to help university leaders prevent student suicides. At least 95 university students took...

Finding the words

This short postvention guide, developed at UCL, is aimed at helping people reach out and offer support to someone bereaved by suicide.

How to cope with suicidal feelings

This booklet from Mind is for anyone experiencing suicidal feelings. It explains what suicidal feelings are, why you might feel that way, how you can help yourself cope right now, and in the long-term.

Help is at Hand

A postvention support guide for people affected by suicide, with both emotional and practical support. This revised guide includes new information for children and military families, as well as information on the...

Suicidal thoughts – how to support someone

Suicide is when someone purposely ends their own life. This factsheet, written by Rethink Mental Illness, looks at why someone might think about suicide and how you can help them.

Responding to the death of a colleague in Primary Care: A postvention framework

Written by Professor Gail Kinman, Birkbeck, University of London and Dr Rebecca Torry, an experienced GP and trustee of The Louise Tebboth Foundation, the report draws on interviews with people working in GP practices...

Suicide prevention strategy for England 2012

HM Government’s cross-government strategy for reducing suicide, including six key objectives:

Cross-Government Suicide Prevention Work-plan

The first cross-government suicide prevention work-plan, which outlines how the government will work with the NHS, local government and the voluntary sector to reduce suicides, and sets out the actions being taken up to...

Progress reports on England’s suicide prevention strategy

HM Government’s progress reports for 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021.

Health Select Committee Report on inquiry into suicide prevention strategy – 2017

Report from the Health Select Committee following an inquiry into the Government’s suicide prevention strategy.

NICE Quality Standard – Suicide Prevention

This quality standard covers ways to reduce suicide and help people bereaved or affected by suicide. It describes high-quality care in priority areas for improvement.

Autistica Action Briefing: Suicide Prevention

Autistica is the UK’s autism research charity. This briefing summarises the most important scientific findings about suicide in the autistic community. It was developed in collaboration with leading researchers,...

Internet Safety Strategy: Green paper & Response to the Consultation

Through this green paper the Government sets out details on how they must play a greater role in tackling issues of online harms. The government addresses online safety by bringing groups across society together to...

Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Provision: A Green Paper & Response to the Consultation

This green paper builds on Future in Mind and the ongoing expansion of NHS-funded provision, and sets out the Government’s ambition to ensure that children and young people showing early signs of distress are able to...

NICE Quality Standards

This quality standard covers the initial management of self-harm and the provision of longer-term support for children and young people (aged 8 to 18) and adults (aged 18 and over) who self-harm. It describes...

Five Year Forward View

A report from the independent Mental Health Taskforce to the NHS in England – February 2016

Local Suicide Prevention Planning: A Practice Resource (Sept 2020)

Local Government Association and NSPA Case Studies

The Local Government Association and NSPA worked together to develop case studies around the innovative local government and council programmes to improve the lives of people within communities.

Case studies

Case studies with examples of local suicide prevention work, from police and NHS initiatives, fire and rescue services to local authority mental health teams and Citizens Advice.

Information sheets

Information sheets created in collaboration between the National Suicide Prevention Alliance and Public Health England.

Slideset: local suicide prevention planning

This slideset puts the local suicide prevention planning practice resource into an easily digestible presentation format. It is a great tool for anyone needing to make the case for suicide prevention and key areas of...

Providing support after suicide services: a suite of resources

Supporting people affected by suicide is an essential part of suicide prevention and to complement the guidance for local authorities in suicide prevention planning we worked with Public Health England and the Support...

Local Suicide Prevention films – How local organisations can work together to engage people with lived experience of suicide

Steven Gilbert, an expert on suicide prevention by his own lived experience, discusses various topics on the area of working with people with lived experience and collaboration between different agencies. Lorna Fraser,...

The importance of responsible reporting of suicide (film)

Lorna Fraser, Media Advisor at Samaritans, discusses the portrayal of suicide in the media and online, including how it can be improved and what to do if you’re worried about someone.

Local Suicide Prevention Planning in England

A report from Samaritans and University of Exeter on the breadth and depth of local suicide prevention planning within local authorities.

NICE Guidelines: Preventing suicide in community and custodial settings

Public Health England worked alongside the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to launch NICE’s new guidelines for suicide prevention in community and custodial settings. The guidelines cover ways to...

Self-harm and suicide prevention frameworks

Health Education England (HEE) and the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH) have launched a series of self-harm and suicide prevention frameworks.

No health without mental health

This mental health outcomes strategy looks to communities as well as the state, to promote independence and choice, reflecting the recent vision for adult social care. It sets out how the Government, working with all...

Consensus statement on information sharing

Families bereaved by suicide have expressed concern about their experiences with services, and issues of confidentiality. They have raised concerns that practitioners can seem reluctant to take information from families...

From Grief To Hope

This report, ‘From Grief to Hope’, comes from Manchester University and Support After Suicide Partnership, and shares the findings from a survey of over 7000 people bereaved by suicide, about the impact the...

Samaritans Pushed from pillar to post

In October 2020, Samaritans launched their “Pushed from pillar to post” report. This report shows there is no consistent, effective support in England for people who self-harm and urgent improvements are needed. It...

Report on APPG inquiry into support available for young people who self-harm

In September 2020, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Suicide & Self-Harm Prevention launched their report on the inquiry into support available for young people who self-harm. This inquiry was carried out by a panel...

Self-harm Management Toolkit for Educational Settings

This toolkit from Essex, Southend on Sea and Thurrock councils in collaboration with the NHS is to support those working with school-age children and young people under 18 in educational settings

Suicide-Safer Universities

Building Suicide-Safer Schools and Colleges

PAPYRUS has developed a guide to support teachers and school staff in building suicide-safer schools. The guide, which is downloadable on their webpage, provides school staff with an understanding of the most effective...

Men and suicide: why it’s a social issue

Samaritans research report, exploring the questions ‘why are men in mid-life, from disadvantaged backgrounds, more at risk of suicide?’ and ‘what should be done to reduce suicide in this group of men?’. With an...

Dying from inequality

Socioeconomic disadvantage is a key risk factor for suicidal behaviour, and this report by Samaritans seeks to explain the reasons why.

Autistica Action Briefing: Suicide Prevention

National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health annual reports

The National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health annual reports provide findings relating to people who died by suicide or were convicted of homicide across all UK countries. Additional...

MaSH Learning: Management of Self-Harm in the Emergency Department

This online learning resource has been developed by researchers at the Manchester Self-Harm (MaSH) Project, which is part of the Centre for Suicide Prevention, a leading UK centre for research into suicidal behaviour...

Supporting online communities

In recognition of the increasing importance of online communities as spaces for peer and emotional support, we have developed guidance for online community moderators in responding to suicidal content.

Samaritans prisons data – Unlocking the evidence

This report looks at key trends in prison suicide rates and presents what Samaritans know about why some people in prison take their own lives. The reasons, as with all suicides, are complex. It is suggested that the...

Help is at Hand

Preventing suicide among trans young people

RCN and PHE guidance for health professionals looking to increase their skills and knowledge of suicide prevention strategies with trans young people.

Understanding Suicidal Distress and Promoting Survival in LGBT Communities

This qualitative study written by MindOut, Children’s and Young Peoples Trust, University of Brighton, Brighton and Sussex Community Knowledge Exchange and Allsorts Young Project outlines key themes that underpin the...

Suicide and self-harm in Britain: researching risk and resilience using UK surveys

This study from NatCen informs self-harm and suicide prevention work through survey analysis and consultation with people with lived experience. You can read more on their website www.natcen.ac.uk

NICE Quality Standards – Self-Harm

Preventing suicide among lesbian, gay and bisexual young people

RCN and PHE guidance for health professionals looking to increase their skills and knowledge of suicide prevention strategies with LGB young people.

Help when we needed it most

Samaritans has offered the Step by Step service to schools and colleges in the UK since 2010. Samaritans have a team of trained volunteers, called Postvention Advisors who are available to offer practical support and...

Providing support after suicide services: a suite of resources

Loneliness, suicide and young people

Around 200 young people die by suicide every year. This report investigates the relationship between loneliness and suicide in young people, and if or how they may be connected.

A Silent Killer: Breaking the link between financial difficulty and suicide

The Money and Mental Health Policy Institute have published a report exploring the evidence around debt and suicidal thoughts and actions, and suicide prevention recommendations for government, local authorities and...

Domestic abuse and suicide: Exploring the links

This research, undertaken by Refuge and the University of Warwick, provides detailed substantial and original evidence on the prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempts amongst domestically abused people in the UK. It...

NCISH Suicide in England since the COVID-19 pandemic

NCISH examined the suicide figures established by “real-time surveillance” (RTS) systems in several parts of England, total population 9 million, comparing the months pre-lockdown (January-March 2020) to...

Case studies: how organisations have responded to Covid-19

Throughout Covid-19, the NSPA has been holding online discussions around suicide prevention and bereavement support, bringing together people from public health, the NHS, charities and businesses to share their...

Webinar: Reaching and supporting children and young people during Covid-19

On 19th October, the NSPA hosted a webinar on Reaching and Supporting Children and Young People During Covid-19. It included three organisations with different services, all of which have had to adapt in response to...

Webinar: Self-harm prevention during Covid-19

On 16th October, NSPA hosted a webinar exploring Self-Harm during Covid-19. It included two organisations with different services: Keith Waters, Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Multicentre Study of...

Webinar: Reaching and supporting men during Covid-19

On 15th September NSPA hosted a webinar exploring the issues facing men during Covid-19, and how organisations are reaching out to and supporting them. It featured presentations from Joe Potter, Policy Manager at...

Public Health England COVID-19: mental health and wellbeing surveillance report

This report presents close to real time intelligence on the mental health and wellbeing of the population in England during the COVID-19 pandemic. It compiles routinely updated indicators from multiple sources and...

COVID-19, unemployment, and suicide

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in the unemployment rate worldwide. In this study they modelled the effect of unemployment on suicide on the basis of global public data from 63 countries, and they observed...

Suicide risk and prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic

This report examines how the mental health effects of the pandemic might be profound and there are suggestions that suicide rates will rise, although this is not inevitable. Suicide is likely to become a more pressing...

A New Social Contract for a mentally healthier society

To support the nation’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic a coalition of over 50 voluntary and social sector organisations have urged the government to work with them to create a new mental health renewal plan for...

Covid-19: understanding inequalities in mental health during the pandemic

This briefing was written by Centre for Mental Health with expert input from members of a task group delegated by a group of national mental health charities that are working together to understand and respond to...

Covid-19 and the nation’s mental health Forecasting needs and risks in the UK: July 2020

This is Centre for Mental Health’s second forecast on the implications of Covid-19 for the mental health of the UK population, in both the short- and long term.

Coronavirus: Mental Health in the Pandemic

The Mental Health Foundation is leading this ongoing, UK-wide, long-term study of how the pandemic is affecting people’s mental health, working with the University of Cambridge, Swansea University, the University of...

COVID-19 Social Study – UCL

The COVID-19 Social Study is a research study run by University College London, exploring the effects of the virus and social distancing measures on adults in the UK during the outbreak of COVID-19.

From Grief To Hope

NCISH Suicide in England since the COVID-19 pandemic

ONS suicide statistics 2006-2020

Quarterly suicide death registrations in England: 2001 to 2019 registrations and Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) to Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2020 provisional data

Samaritans suicide statistics reports

These reports pull together the data about deaths by suicide for the UK and Republic of Ireland, which is available from official statistics bodies and provides a description of the latest suicide rates. They also...

PHE’s Fingertips Suicide Prevention Profile

The Fingertips Suicide Prevention Profile was produced to help develop understanding at a local level and support an intelligence driven approach to suicide prevention. It collates and presents a range of publicly...

Men and suicide: why it’s a social issue

Suicide by occupation, England: 2011 to 2015

The analyses from the Office for National Statistics are based on deaths registered in England between 2011 and 2015. Suicide was defined using the National Statistics definition which includes both intentional...

Dying from inequality

Socioeconomic disadvantage is a key risk factor for suicidal behaviour, and this report by Samaritans seeks to explain the reasons why.

National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health annual reports

MaSH Learning: Management of Self-Harm in the Emergency Department

Samaritans prisons data – Unlocking the evidence

Strengthening the frontline

This report from Samaritans and Centre for Mental Health explored the role of GP services in helping people who are at risk of suicide, reviewing the evidence about what GPs and their colleagues could do to help save...

Suicide and self-harm in Britain: researching risk and resilience using UK surveys

This study from NatCen informs self-harm and suicide prevention work through survey analysis and consultation with people with lived experience. You can read more on their website www.natcen.ac.uk

Loneliness, suicide and young people

Around 200 young people die by suicide every year. This report investigates the relationship between loneliness and suicide in young people, and if or how they may be connected.

Understanding and preventing suicide: A psychological perspective

A Silent Killer: Breaking the link between financial difficulty and suicide

Building Suicide-Safer Schools and Colleges

Samaritans’ media guidelines for reporting suicide

In August 2020, Samaritans launched the sixth edition of their media guidelines to incorporate the latest research on the impact of reported suicides in the media on suicide rates. On average, more than 6,000...

Supporting someone who feels suicidal

This booklet from Mind explains how to support someone who feels suicidal, giving practical suggestions for what you can do and where you can go for support.

Coping with loss factsheet

Losing someone you care about to suicide is devastating and can make you feel many different ways. This factsheet, written by Rethink Mental Illness, looks at what support is available when someone you know has taken...

It’s safe to talk about suicide

Short leaflet to provide guidance on what you could say or do if you are worried that someone may be thinking about suicide.

Coping with self-harm

This guide has been developed, by researchers at the University of Oxford, through talking to parents and carers of young people, and is aimed at helping parents, carers, other family members and friends cope when a...

The truth about self-harm

This booklet, created by the Mental Health Foundation, aims to help you understand more about self-harm and what to do if you are worried about yourself or someone else. It explains what self-harm is, what to do if you...

Save this card – it might save a life

For World Suicide Prevention Day 2016 the NSPA and its members produced ‘save this card’ z-cards with tips on how to look after yourself and how to look out for your mates.

The National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health

This toolkit has been developed by the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH) from the NICE Quality Standard (QS34) covering the initial management of self-harm and the provision...

Coping with self-harm

The truth about self-harm

Suicide prevention toolkit for workplaces

Business in the Community has partnered with Public Health England to produce an online interconnected suite of toolkits to help every organisation support the mental and physical health and wellbeing of its employees.

Suicide postvention toolkit for workplaces

Identifying and responding to suicide clusters

This PHE document is for people with responsibility for suicide prevention in local authorities and their partner agencies.

Preventing suicides in public places

PHE guidance for those with responsibility for suicide prevention in local authorities and their partner agencies. It has been developed to help them contribute to the delivery of the national suicide prevention...

Supporting online communities

Preventing suicide among trans young people

RCN and PHE guidance for health professionals looking to increase their skills and knowledge of suicide prevention strategies with trans young people.

Preventing suicide among lesbian, gay and bisexual young people

RCN and PHE guidance for health professionals looking to increase their skills and knowledge of suicide prevention strategies with LGB young people.

NICE Guidelines: Preventing suicide in community and custodial settings

Providing support after suicide services: a suite of resources

Self-harm and suicide prevention frameworks

Health Education England (HEE) and the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH) have launched a series of self-harm and suicide prevention frameworks.

The National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health

Suicide Prevention National Transformation Programme

The Suicide Prevention National Transformation Programme has been established in response to a national commitment to reduce deaths by suicide by 10%, by 2020/21. Additional funding has been allocated to eight...

The National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health

Preventing suicide a global imperative WHO report

This report from the World Health Organisation encourages countries to continue the good work where it is already on-going, and to place suicide prevention high on the agenda, regardless of where a country stands...

Suicide Prevention National Transformation Programme

Mental Health Needs of the Perinatal Population During the COVID-19 Crisis

This report, by the Health Innovation Network, focuses on the mental health needs of the perinatal population during the COVID-19 crisis and how the changes enforced by the virus are affecting these needs.

NSPA Online Discussion Groups – COVID-19

Suicide Prevention National Transformation Programme

Thames Valley Real-Time Suicide Surveillance System

This resource pack has been designed for Coroners, Police, Local Authority Public Health Suicide Prevention Leads and others who are involved in suicide prevention work. The three key purposes of this resource pack are...

Providing a lifeline: Effective scrutiny of local strategies to prevent or reduce suicide

The Centre for Public Scrutiny has collaborated with the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Public Health to create a guide that aims to help councillors and local scrutiny committees build...

Suicide prevention webinar

Following the publication of guidance on local suicide prevention planning, a series of master-classes were held across the country. This page provides a webinar version of those classes, to help any organisation better...

Highways England suicide prevention strategy

Their suicide prevention strategy outlines how they will improve the safety of our roads by reducing the number of people who attempt to take their lives and reduce the devastating impact suicide has when these...

Category: Providing individual support

Exploring suicide and stigma with different communities: Suicide Prevention Consortium blogs and audiograms

Talking Faith in Suicide Prevention Digital Guide by Faith Action

Exploring experiences of accessing support for alcohol issues and suicidal ideation

Tomorrow is too late: suicide prevention support for people with no fixed address

The economic cost of suicide in the UK

Understood: Supporting people bereaved by suicide who are neurodivergent

National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health Annual Report 2024 including easy read version

Suicide rates in high-risk high-harm perpetrators of domestic abuse in England and Wales: a cohort study

Charlie Waller Trust Talking About Suicide – Guides for College and University Staff

Suicide prevention strategy for England 2023-2028

Mind Leeds Lived Experience Involvement – guidance for best practice

The functions of self‐harm in young people and their perspectives about future general practitioner‐led care: A qualitative study

Parents guide – Supporting your child – self-harm and suicide

LGBTQ+ Bereavement by Suicide Research Study

Understanding and providing recommendations for good practice mental health provision in the rail industry:an industry wide study

Suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt and non-suicidal self-harm amongst lesbian, gay and bisexual adults compared with heterosexual adults: analysis of data from two nationally representative English household surveys

Support guide for services working with Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities bereaved by suicide

Mind’s Influence and Participation Toolkit

Armed Forces Suicide Prevention Strategy and Action Plan

Policy briefing: Practical and financial advice within suicide prevention services can make them more effective

Preventing Suicides in High Rise Buildings and Structures: City of London Corporation

Understanding self-harm and suicidal behaviours in South Asian communities in the UK: systematic review and meta-synthesis

Involving people with lived experience in suicide prevention and bereavement support FAQs

The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on different groups

MBRRACE report: Saving lives, Improving mothers’ care

NCISH Learning resource: Safer care for patients given a diagnosis of personality disorder

Alcohol and suicide: insights from LGBTQ+ communities’ experiences

Study: Emergency department presentations with suicide and self-harm ideation: a missed opportunity for intervention?

Money and Mental Health Policy Institute: Ethnicity, money and mental health policy briefing

The latest national suicide figures and how these are shaping the national suicide prevention strategy

Learning Legacies: Bringing visibility to domestic abuse-related suicide

Linking Suicide Prevention Strategies with Autism Strategies and including the Autistic community

London Borough of Barnet and Partners Suicide Prevention Campaign – Evaluation report

Insights from experience: economic disadvantage, suicide and self-harm

Time to count: supporting children after a parent dies by suicide

Supporting autistic children and young people through crisis

National Suicide Prevention Strategy Online Discussion Notes, 3rd March 2023

Queer Futures Report: Understanding lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) adolescents’ suicide, self-harm and help-seeking behaviour

National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health Annual Report 2023 including easy read version

Ellie’s Angels Plenary Presentation

Research into suicide postvention services in LGBTQ+ community

Every Life Matters Cumbria Self-harm pocket guides

Hidden & High Risk: Reflections on the need for prioritisation of suicide prevention activities with individuals under probation supervision

The benefits of a GP Mental Health Fellowship scheme to the suicide prevention agenda

Internet Safety, Suicide and Self-harm; how can we support people to have safe and positive experiences online?

Supporting LGBTQ+ young people with suicidal thoughts; Grassroots Suicide Prevention and Allsorts Youth Project

Domestic abuse and suicide – what can we learn from the voices of victims of domestic abuse who have tried to take their own lives?

Suicide inequalities in the Gypsy & Traveller communities

How to involve people with lived experience to shape policies around health inequalities

NSPA Conference 2023 Workshop slides: How to involve people with lived experience to shape policies around health inequalities

Suicide prevention infographics Punjabi translations

How to support neurodivergent children and young people at risk of suicide or self harm

Framework: Supporting Mental Health staff following the death of a patient by suicide

Report: Risk of suicide after diagnosis of severe physical health conditions

Universities UK Guidance for Universities on how to respond to a student suicide

Cost of Living Online Discussion Notes

Highlighting the link between domestic abuse and suicide: Kent County Council

Beyond the Streets – Lived experience: Learning from others

Alcohol use and its association with suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts and non-suicidal self-harm in two successive, nationally representative English household samples

Feasibility and acceptability of experience sampling among LGBTQ+ young people with self-harmful thoughts and behaviours

NCISH Toolkit for specialist mental health services and primary care

Walk With Us: A toolkit for supporting children, young people and families affected or bereaved by suicide

Creating hope in suicide prevention: a collection of responses for World Suicide Prevention Day

Suicide rates by ethnic group among patients in contact with mental health services

Tackling Suicide Inequalities in Gypsy and Traveller Communities

Intimate partner violence, suicidality, and self-harm: a probability sample survey of the general population in England

A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences and Perceptions of Interpersonal Relationships Prior to Attempting Suicide in Young Adults

Centre for Mental Health Briefing on poverty, economic inequality and mental health

Responding to an Unexpected Death: Support for Schools and Colleges

Supporting general practitioners in the assessment and management of suicide risk in young people: an evaluation

Royal College of General Practitioners: Suicide in children and young people: Tips for General Practitioners

Suicide bereavement in the UK: Descriptive findings from a national survey

National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health Annual Report 2022

Kent and Medway CYP Suicide Prevention Network Audit Sub Group: Three features and four golden threads of positive practice when supporting care leavers who express suicidal thoughts

Samaritans: Insights from experience: alcohol and suicide

Adult Self-harm Management Toolkit NHSE: Mid and South Essex Self-harm and Suicide Prevention Programme

Samaritans: Towards a suicide-safer internet

Suicide in Children and Young People – National Child Mortality Database

First Hand: a support guide for people who have witnessed a suicide of someone they didn’t know