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Secondary teachers to be given training on dealing with suicide

Secondary school teachers around the country are to be taught how to help students deal with deat...
Newstalk
Newstalk

08.48 9 Jul 2018


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Secondary teachers to be given...

Secondary teachers to be given training on dealing with suicide

Newstalk
Newstalk

08.48 9 Jul 2018


Share this article


Secondary school teachers around the country are to be taught how to help students deal with deaths by suicide and other tragedies.

The Minister for Education said teachers in every post primary school in the country will receive training on how to respond to ‘critical incidents’ in their school community.

‘Critical incidents’ are events that overwhelm the normal coping mechanisms of a school – including deaths, suicides and road accidents.

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"Safeguards"

Education Minister Richard Bruton said he aims to put “as many safeguards as possible in place in our schools, to ensure we help our most vulnerable students.”

“Unfortunately, while we put a big emphasis on preventative measures in our schools – such as the work we are doing on our Junior Cycle Wellbeing programme – it is sometimes necessary for a school to respond to a critical incident,” he said.

“Coping with the aftermath of critical incidents has become a challenging but necessary task for a number of schools in recent years.

“The training that we are announcing today will ensure all schools are prepared to respond to such an incident.”

SafeTALK

The training will be delivered by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) – with teachers in all post-primary schools given the opportunity to take part.

The Government has also expanded the ‘SafeTALK’ programme to six more education centres around the country.

It was offered in six education centres last year and will now be rolled out at six more from the start of the new school year.


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