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choose life: A National Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent Suicide in Scotland
APPENDIX 7 FOCUS ON PRIORITY GROUPS
In implementing the seven objectives, it is important to focus on the priority groups identified in section 2.3. The following paragraphs provide some additional information and suggestions for consideration. These relate to work already in existence and to recently planned or proposed work. The information is intended to be illustrative and is not exhaustive.
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
The term 'Children and Young People' covers a wide age range. We recognise that children of any age and young people will often have very different needs, wants and requirements.
Implementation of the recommendations of recent Report of Child Protection Audit and Review:
It's everyone's job to make sure I'm alright will have direct implications for improving the mental health and well-being of children and young people.
To support the schools health education programme, the Scottish Executive funds the
Anti-Bullying Network which provides high quality in-school training, guidance and consultancy services to support individual schools.
The Scottish Executive also provides funding towards
Childline, the
Bullying Helpline (run by
Childline) and
Parentline Scotland, a free confidential helpline providing support on parenting issues, including bullying to provide help for both children and their parents.
The Education Department will be taking forward a programme of work over the next year to support and enhance the role of schools in developing emotional and mental well-being in children and young people.
The Scottish Executive intends to continue the roll-out of
Breathing Space, an advice line for young people (young men in particular) with low mood or depression, to give them advice and support and help put them in touch with appropriate services.
Other Interventions to be considered might include actions to:
Enable teachers to identify when early interventions are necessary and provide access to appropriate support and services
Equip teachers and other children and young people's workers with the knowledge, skills and training to enable them to talk openly about suicide and deliberate self-harm to those groups most at risk
Provide support to parents who experience significant emotional and psychological distress and mental health problems e.g. depression, anxiety disorders
Continue to develop and expand school-based programmes on positive emotional mental health and well-being
Improve Child and Adolescent Mental Health in line with the forthcoming Public Health Institute for Scotland (PHIS) Scottish Needs Assessment Programme (SNAP) report on child and adolescent mental health in Scotland, for example by:
raising awareness of the importance of recognising depression in young people and the importance of recognising suicide risk and how to recognise those at risk;
ensuring that those who deal with young people who self-harm (for instance, in accident and emergency services) are good at recognising those at risk of further self-harm;
developing effective home based health and social care interventions post incident; and
improving the understanding of availability of options for effective treatment, care and support of depression in children and adolescents.
Highlighting the pressures which young people and young men in particular may face, e.g. exams, employment (or lack of it), bullying, abuse (sexual or physical); sexual orientation, etc.
Provide assistance for young men in life skills, such as managing money and developing relationships with their children.
SUBSTANCE MISUSE
The Scottish Executive is planning an advertising and communications programme to challenge drinking cultures in Scotland - young men will be a target group for forthcoming work.
COMMUNITY
Interventions to be considered might include actions to:
Develop youth forums, enabling young people to engage with local decision makers and planners and to have a voice locally.
ANTI-STIGMA
The continued development and roll-out of the see me anti-stigma and discrimination campaign (funded by the Scottish Executive) at national level. The campaign aims to develop links with local groups with a view to supporting local anti-stigma work.
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
In addition to the mental health services framework:
Implement Mental Health and Well-being Support Group (formerly Mental Health Reference Group) Report: Risk Management SEHD HDL(2000)16
Implement the Twelve Points to a Safer Service, as outlined in
Safety First, the Five-Year Report of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness, (2001)
Implement the Key Recommendations in relation to Psychiatric Deaths of the Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths (Why Mothers Die 1997-1999: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists)
Implement SIGN Guidelines on Post Natal Depression: Recognition, detection, training and screening SEHD HDL(1999)27
Engaging people: observation of people with acute mental health problems: a good practice statement, Scottish Executive Health Department 2002 HS.R (2002) Saughton House 173749
SCOTTISH PRISON SERVICE
The Scottish Prison Service is rolling out a throughcare programme for former drug users leaving prison. The success of this programme in keeping prisoners drug-free and improving their subsequent quality of life is currently being evaluated.
Provide for all relevant staff 'suicide in custody awareness training' and encourage sharing of information.
Ensure implementation of the five-stage Suicide Risk Management strategy as outlined in
Suicide Risk Management and Custodial Care, which covers managing an individual: prior to admission to prison, on reception into prison, during a period of imprisonment, prior to release, and at the point of release.
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