Suicide Safety: Making Safe & Healthy Choices

This 12-page Social Script on Suicide Safety and Prevention, is meant to serve as a guide for children and youth, who are having thoughts of self-harm and suicide. While the script can be used by children and youth independently, it is meant to be used jointly with a caregiver or other trusted adult, so they may guide the child or youth through the experience of having suicidal thoughts, in a safe way, and to introduce and help with managing ways to prevent suicide, how to use healthy distractions, change negative thoughts to positive thoughts, rely a circle of support (e.g., teacher, friend, parent, relative, counselor), and how to access crisis lines and mental health professionals, when needed.

The script encourages children and youth to work through the following steps:

1. Take a deep breath to calm the body and mind

2. Ask for Help from Someone you Trust

3. Do Something to Distract Yourself

4. Make a List of Safe Places Where You Can Go

5. Call or Text Crisis Help Lines in Your Area

6. Make Sure There is Nothing Dangerous Around They Can Hurt Self With

7. Make a List of Reasons to Live

8. Being Sure to Have Someone They Trust to Help Them Through These Steps

9. The final page provides 'Safety Cards' that can be cut out (and laminated) and provided to the child/student to carry with them - as a reminder of what to do if/when they feel at-risk

Each step is supplemented with engaging visuals, and elaborated upon with choices.

This social script is not meant as a substitute for professional mental health counselling, therapy or psychiatric intervention. If your student, child or teen is experiencing suicidal thoughts, it is critical that they speak to a mental health professional as soon as possible, and have a safety plan in place, immediately.

While we hope it does not need to be used frequently, we do hope that this script can help you, to help the youth that you live and work with. There is always hope.

As Always, I welcome your feedback and reviews, so I may continue to develop and share practical resources for my fellow educators.