Glendowie Primary School

Transcription

1 Glndowi Primary School Crisis Managmnt Manual Rviwd 21/8/2012

2 CONTENTS Policy on Crisis Managmnt Programm on Crisis Managmnt Dath by Suicid of a Studnt - Tachr - Flow Chart C r i s i s M a n a g m n t P l a n Immdiat Action Chcklist Mdium Trm Action Chcklist Long Trm Action Chcklist List of Contacts Sampl Lttrs Mdia Rlas Guidlins Nots on: Idntification of at risk studnts. Common factors in many suicidal adolscnts. Stags of adolscnt suicid and thir livs. Th griving adolscnt. Tasks for bravd adolscnts. Th procss of grif. Issus affcting survivors. Th surviving family. Common ractions to trauma. Whn to sk profssional hlp. An ovrviw of th procss, th rcognition, intrvntion, assssmnt and managmnt of young popl at risk of suicid. How can w hlp griving studnts in th classroom? Looking aftr yourslf. Looking aftr collagus. Dbrifing. Suicid prvntion programm. Rsourcs availabl with th school.

3 Procdur Glndowi Primary School CRISIS MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE RATIONALE: Criss can happn any tim and can b a onc-in-a-liftim happning or may nvr happn. Prparation for ths unxpctd and tragic vnts is ncssary and it is bnficial whn planning taks plac wll in advanc. PURPOSES To dvlop a plan for unxpctd and tragic vnts, thrby assisting individuals to cop with th psychological aftrmath of a traumatic vnt. To nsur that procdurs ar in plac so that staff ar abl to function ffctivly in a crisis. To provid support for studnts and familis affctd by a crisis. To rcognis that th rsponsibility for th implmntation of th Traumatic Incidnt Rspons Plan and th post-vntion counslling programm must rmain with th school. (Th Prvntion, Rcognition and Managmnt of Young Popl at Risk of Suicid. M.O.E. 1999). GUIDELINES Immdiat rspons to traumatic vnts is rquird (i.. within th first 24 hours). Th rspons tams formd for a spcific crisis vnt may includ school staff, Board of Trusts mmbrs, studnts, local community mmbrs, psychologists and support agncy mmbrs. Th school will provid a crisis managmnt plan. Th plan will b implmntd at tims of crisis. Th crisis may involv dath.g. suicid, accidnt, misadvntur, or illnss, othr crisis situations lik fir or othr situations which may impact on th motional wll bing of th school. Th crisis managmnt plan will b flxibl nough to rspond to a wid varity of crisis situations. Th staff will b informd of cultural prspctivs and givn culturally appropriat information to assist thm in daling with trauma situations. Th plan will stablish a crisis managmnt tam which can b functional immdiatly aftr a rcognisd crisis occurs. Th plan will idntify hlping profssionals and community figurs from outsid th school to b calld in as rquird. Th plan will b rviwd rgularly. Th Principal or Acting Principal will mak th dcision to implmnt th crisis managmnt tam. Lgislativ Rfrnc:

4 G L E N D O W I E P R I M A R Y S C H O O L PROGRAMME ON CRISIS MANAGEMENT Policy Rfrnc: Policy on Crisis Managmnt Dscription of Activitis: CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN Chcklist of Procdurs 1. Principal or Acting Principal will idntify if th crisis managmnt plan is rquird. 2. Th initial Crisis Managmnt Tam is convnd. It consists of: Principal Snior Managmnt Tam B.O.T Chairprson Class Tachr (dpnding on circumstancs) 3. Considr who ls nds to b involvd with th crisis tam Board prsonnl with rlvant skill Halth Nurs SES Traumatic Incidnts tam 4. Collat th information known about th crisis.g. who, whn, whr, what. 5. Chck that information is accurat to minimis spculation. 6. Dtrmin what information will b announcd. 7. Dtrmin who nds to know staff, Board mmbrs, parnts, schools of siblings, schools of othrs involvd. 8. Dcid how thy should b told individually, small groups, classs? How will this b organisd? What actions ar culturally appropriat? How can th privacy of individuals b addrssd? 9. Dcid if a lttr nds to b snt hom? Inform parnts how to undrstand th ractions of thir childrn and support thm. 10. Dcid whn th first contact with th family will b mad and by whom.

5 11. Assign on spoksprson to answr mdia and polic nquiris, if appropriat and ncssary. Inform staff of this. Prpar a statmnt (a fw clar points) and hold to it! Always acknowldg sympathy for th victims first! 12. Any rqusts for information should b handld only by th nominatd crisis tam mmbr. Staff should b informd of this fact. 13. Brif th staff immdiatly. Thy gt th first nquiris. Us a staff phon tr if ndd. Staff must b carful not to b drawn into making individual commnts to parnts which may b misconstrud or takn out of contxt. 14. Dtrmin who will b th staff liaison prson for staff support and inform staff. 15. Dsignat a Saf Room.g. Library for childrn to go to. Provid food and drink and nsur ongoing support for frinds. Provid pncils, papr, tc. whr childrn can xprss thir thoughts. Ensur thr is always a tachr minding this room. 16. Mak a rgistr/list of thos studnts who ar thought to b at risk.g. studnts clos to th victim and/or thos at risk of dprssion or motional difficultis. Ar thr popl who nd immdiat support. 17. In cas of dath, consult with th family, dtrmin th school's involvmnt.g. funral arrangmnts, flowrs, srvic, cultural awarnss koha (food/mony), drss. Ensur th victim's prsonal blongings ar sn to and rturnd dirctly to th family. 18. Idntify community popl who may b abl to assist. 19. Plan procdurs for first day back and first wk. Maintain normal school routins if possibl and to b snsitiv to contnt of lssons and assmblis. 20. Considr whthr thr nds to b an opportunity for th whol school to b involvd.g. attndanc at srvic, mssags to family. 21 Action Plan for Tachrs At th first staff brifing, tachrs will b providd an updat of th situation with accurat writtn information to giv to studnts, signs to watch out for among studnts and what to do with a distrssd studnt. Aftr that, staff will b givn rgular updats of th situation. If th crisis includs th dath of a studnt or staff mmbr by suicid, thn ths additional procdurs will b followd:

6 1. Writtn factual information from th Rspons Tam, will b providd for staff to us whn tlling studnts what has happnd. All staff, including support staff will b informd. Parnts and mmbrs of th Board will b informd in writing. Staff will tll thir own class but may sk collagu support. Th Chairprson of th Board of Trusts nds to b informd as arly as possibl. 2. Clos frinds of th prson who committd suicid will b idntifid and givn support. Whr ths ar studnts, parnts will b contactd. Th possibility of a suicid pact will b chckd. Rfrrals to appropriat outsid agncis will b mad if ncssary. 3. Th following issus will b discussd with all studnts and staff by whom, whn and whr to b dcidd: Although a suicid is a choic, it is not a good on. (Childrn who xprss contrary opinions should b rportd to counsllor). Dath is prmannt. Hlp is availabl. 4. No singl staff mmbr or small group of staff will b lft with th full rsponsibility for managing th aftrmath. Sufficint rsourcs, including appropriat profssional assistanc, will b organisd by th Crisis Managmnt Tam. 5. In th cas of a suicid, it is not appropriat to hold a mmorial srvic, to plant a tr, or mak th dath with any othr visibl symbol which has th potntial to act as a dangrous triggr for othrs. Signd: Dat: Rviwd:

7 Training and Consultancy Schools - Poscvcntion Str.:cgics Pagc 36 D E A T H B Y S U I C I D E O F A S T U D E N T O R T E A C H E R RESPONSE TEAM A S S E M B L E D (Principal, Counsllor, Yar Advisor, Othrs ) CLOSE FRIENDS - SIBLINGS TOLD INDIVIDUALLY Continuous Monitoring of Studnts SET UP SUPPORT COUNSELLING FOR TEACHERS INFORM COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS TEACHERS LINFORM STUDENTS In class-siz groups using Principal's s t a t m n t. Advis support availabl. FUNERAL ATTENDANCE ARRANGEMENT. MEMORIAL SERVICE ASSEMBLY. ±MINMENWOM. T TEACHERS I N F O R M E D STATEIMENT FOR STUDENTS PREPARED ( Principal) TAKE HOME LETTER TO PARENTS MEDIA RESPONSE PLANNED PRESENT: MAINTAIN NORMAL SCHOOL PROGRAM SUPPORTIVE, CALM ATMOSPHERE FUTURE: AWARE OF STUDENTS' NEEDS NEAR ANNIVERSARY TIMES

8 CRISIS MANAGEMENT ACTION PLANNING TASK CHECKLIST Immdiat to within first 24 hours Gathr information - vrify that th information is corrct. Dcid on th lvl of rspons. Call togthr th school Crisis Managmnt Tam. Enact th school Crisis Managmnt Plan, including tlphon tr if ndd. Find out th facts from polic and whn th school can rlas ths. Dcid whn contact will b mad with familis of victim(s). Arrang two popl to visit as soon as possibl. Prpar (i script) or adapt information rlas for groups in th school community. Prsonnl Involvd Action Plan Compltd Inform staff. a Dcid on mans of information transfr to studnts. Ensur strssd staff ar buddid and dcid on support to b givn to thm. Giv staff guidlins on th rol thy can play with studnts. Limit outgoing calls. How will th school handl nquiris? Who will do this? Prpar a statmnt for th rcptionist to us for incoming calls. Idntify who will dal with mdia nquiris. Start kping a writtn rcord of vnts and dcid who will do this. Dcid if outsid agncis nd to b contactd. Advis M.O.E. who may provid Principal support, scurity from popl trying to invad school proprty.

9 TASK CHECKLIST Immdiat to within first 24 hours (cont'd) Prsonnl Involvd Action Plan Compltd Establish a support cntr within th school and nsur it is staffd at all tims. Ensur studnts' safty and dcid on managmnt of risk for studnts. Idntify siblings in this school or othr schools and dcid on support ndd. Dcid if othr schools nd to b informd. Dcid if parntal prmission is rquird for information rlas. Dcid what information nds to go to othr parnts, and how this will b don. Organis for th most critically involvd school hlping prsonnl to hav support. Dcid if arrangmnts nd to b mad for parnts who call at th school. Dcid who will attnd to victim's prsonal blongings. Dcid who will attnd th funral. How will this b managd? (Prmission nots from cargivrs, transport tc.) Rmmbr that thr may b daths subsqunt to th initial fatalitis. Considr formal d-brifing for th most critically involvd school hlping prsonnl. Dcid what follow-up is plannd for th nxt day. Arrang rlif taching. Arrang that th Crisis Managmnt Tam mt at th bginning and nd of th day for th nxt fw days. Mak tims for th Crisis Managmnt Tam to maintain rgular contact/mtings aftr this tim. Advis Insurr (Liability Insurr) and obtain thir lgal support srvic in cas of nd.

10 CRISIS MANAGEMENT ACTION PLANNING TASK CHECKLIST Mdium Trm Prsonnl Involvd Action Plan Compltd Dcid what follow-up is plannd for th nxt wk. Continu to monitor ractions within th school community and provid support., Rturn th school as far as possibl to rgular routins. Updat staff and studnts with nw information and dcid how this will b don. Considr giving advic to staff, studnts and parnts on mdia nquiris. Kp parnts informd. Considr prparation of school community for funral and burial arrangmnts or othr public follow-ups. Maintain contact and support to familis of victims, and to thir clos frinds and thir familis. Monitor thos in cargivr/hlping rols. Kp not of xprssions of sympathy, condolncs, offrs of hlp for latr rspons. Arrang rlif tachrs.

11 CRISIS MANAGEMENT ACTION PLANNING TASK CHECKLIST Long Trm Prsonnl Involvd Action Plan Compltd Organis d-brifing for th critically involvd school hlping prsonnl. Considr individual, tam and organisational d-brifing. Organis follow-up for th most affctd/at risk studnts onc things quitn down? A coronr's inqust may tak plac som considrabl tim aftr th vnt. Studnts and staff may nd tim spnt to undrstand th procss. Th inqust may caus som r-living of th vnts with consqunt rnwd distrss. What support is rquird? Establish whn th Crisis Managmnt Tam will rconvn to rviw th rspons mad and mak any ncssary amndmnts to th Crisis Managmnt Plan. Continu liaison with outsid agncis. If liability is an issu, b prpard for lgal procdings. Advis Insurr. Maintain a carful and clar papr trail of incidnt rports and follow up actions. Rmmbr that thos who hav had spcial rols to play g Crisis Managmnt' Tam, th scrtary daling with all tlphon nquiris also nd attntion.to thir wll-bing. It may also b hlpful to privatly or publicly acknowldg thos who hav takn on a task outsid thir normal rsponsibilitis. Support is plannd for thos who hav bn involvd. This may b from an outsid tam. (4)

12 Contacts in cas of a Traumatic Evnt Glndowi Primary Board of Trusts (s BOT list) Glndowi Primary School Staff (s staff list) Public Halth Nurs: Sl Vav-Pattrson Work: xt Mobil: Fax: Spcial Education Srvic Auckland City Districts Offic: Marilyn Mitchll, District Managr Phon: Fax: Traumatic Incidnt Tam (To manag an incidnt or crisis) Spcial Education Srvic RTLB Sandiyao Sbstia n Work: Aftr Hours: or (prsonal) sandisrtlb@gmail.com Kari Cntr: Ground Floor, Building 13 Grnlan Clinical Cntr 214 Grnlan Rd Auckland Phon: Fax:

13 Gln Inns Polic: Graham Portal Phon: Mobil: Child, Youth and Family Srvics: Phon: (24 hours) Mobil: (family) Youthlin: Phon: Phon: Kidslin: Offic Phon: KIDSLINE Liflin: Offic Phon:

14 Auckland Survival Kit W hav trid to giv you haps of info on support availabl for whatvr rason in Auckland, Nw Zaland. This includs a whol rang of srvics from th child and adolscnt mntal halth srvics, counslling srvics and drop-in cntrs to information basd projcts and wbsits. Lots of ths rsourcs ar not just for popl in Auckland though and provid good information for anybody. Mntal Halth Thr ar four Child You and ar Adolscnt hr : Hom Mntal / Young Halth Popl Srvics / Auckland in Auckland Survival which Kit ar fr to young popl Sarch and familis for : who ar considrd in nd of assssmnt, tratmnt and thrapy to hlp with a mntal halth problm. Th procss of bing rfrrd involvs firstly going to somon lik a GP or School Guidanc Counsllor who will mak th dcision with you about whthr th rfrral is th right on. If you want mor information about th srvics ths cntrs provid phon contact dtails ar blow: Cntral Auckland Th Kari Cntr Wst Auckland to Hlnsvill Marinoto Wst North Shor to Warkworth Marinoto North South Auckland Whirinaki W think it is important first and formost to shar th thing on your mind with somon you can trust who may b abl to hlp you find mor hlp if you nd it. This prson may b whanau/family, a tachr or school counsllor, a community or church ladr or your family doctor, but it is important to talk to somon. You can also phon YOUTHLINE whr somon will b availabl to offr support and advic. Thr ar many othr rsourcs, which w hav split into various catgoris. Mor Mntal Halth Ons Eating Difficultis Education Ntwork (EDEN) Phon: info(adn.oro.nz Provids a rsourc cntr offring support, information and rfrral rsourcs and library srvics to popl with body imag issus and thir familis and frinds. Also offrs satllit srvics at Auckland Univrsity and Unitc. Provids support groups, workshops, and a halth promotion advisory srvic and a drop in cntr in Gry Lynn. Mntal Halth Foundation Auckland Survival Kit : Auckland Youth, Nw Zaland Youth, Nw Zaland, Auckla... Pag 2 of 5 Phon: rsourcftmntalhalthomnz Wbsit: Information, rsourcs, training and advocacy on mattrs rlatd to mntal halth - mntal illnss. Th rsourc cntr is opn Monday - Friday 9:00am - 4:30pm and includs a bookstor, rfrnc library and vido library. SPINZ Information about Suicid Prvntion Information Nw Zaland. Chck out thir sit /08/2012 Youth Frindship Hous Phon: frindshinhousoxtra.co.nz Frindship hous provids a drop-in cntr, crisis counslling, prsonal dvlopmnt programms, angr managmnt/stopping violnc programms, social work/family support, advocacy, chaplain, Pacific Island/Maori and Asian rsourc workrs. Manukau Youth Cntr (MYC) Phon: Manukau youth cntr is a drop in cntr that provids angr managmnt, drug & alcohol, slf-stm and lif skills programms. Kidslin Phon: (Offic) / 0800 KIDSLINE Projct K Trust Phon: officoproictk.orq.nz Wbsit: A youth dvlopmnt programm aimd at fourth formrs who lack slf stm or slf confidnc in on or mor aras of thir livs. Consists of an advntur programm and mntoring. Rainbow Youth

15 Phon: infoorainbowyouth.orq.nz Wbsit: Education, social groups, spcific vnts for gay and lsbian, bisxual and transgndrd youth undr th ag of 27. R a i n b m i t y i n i t h Mlo., who 16S.,.? Studnts Against Drunk Driving (SADD) Phon: saddnz(axtra.co.nz Wbsit: SADD is involvd with rducing harm among young popl by promoting altrnativs to drinking and driving through positiv pr influncs. DDWirf D ORM

16 URGE Phon: Wbsit: or URGE is a youth halth and information srvic for tnagrs covring drugs and alcohol, sx and rlationships, motional wllbing, body issus and many mor to 'cs. Youth Law Projct Phon: youthlaw@ihuq.co.nz Wbsit: Offr fr lgal advic through visits phon or lttr for popl undr 25. Youthlin Auckland Inc. Phon: or (offic) vouthlin@vouthlin.co.nz Wbsit: youttaw Halth Family Planning Association Phon: or chck th phon book for contact dtails for your local cntrs. Wbsit: Th FPA provids ducation, profssional training and clinical and prgnancy counslling srvics, as wll as srvics in sxual and rproductiv halth. Womn Auckland Womn's Cntr Phon: Wbsit: Th Auckland Womn's Cntr provids and nvironmnt that promots th mpowrmnt and wll-bing of all womn. In addition to running training courss thy also provid a woman's library, an information rfrral and advic cntr as wll as a counslling srvic. Family Planning AssodatIon North Shor Womn's Cntr Phon: womn.ctr@ix.nt.nz Wbsit: ctr.co.nz Similar to th Auckland Womn's Cntr. Thy provid courss and various programms for fmals ag 7 and up. Wst Auckland Womn's Cntr Phon: wawc.(acybrnt.co.nz Provids a tlphon and drop in support srvic, counslling, massag thrapy, lgal srvics, groups and courss.

17 Mn Essntially Mn Phon: Provids support groups for mn and young mn; a saf plac to xplor issus as mn and to incras and crat slf-awarnss. North Harbour Living Without Violnc Collctiv Wbsit: Information, support and ducational programms availabl (on th North Shor) for Childrn, young Mn and Womn and Adults who ar xprincing or hav xprincd Domstic Violnc or hav concrns about thir own abusiv or violnt bhaviour within th Family and/or th rlationships thy ar in. Drug and Alcohol Altrd High Phon: Txt: altrdhigh@xtra.co.nz For all aras in Auckland rgion, contact Altrd High on or txt (Monday to Friday 8:30-5pm) Or T Ata Marino (Maori srvic) 0800MARINO, or Tupu Pacific Tam Community Alcohol and Drug Srvics, Auckland (CADS) offr a rang of fr srvics, fundd through th Waitmata District Halth Board to anybody in th Auckland rgion wanting to solv an alcohol or drug rlatd qustion, issu or problm, or ar concrnd about or affctd by somon ls's us. Accommodation Baptist Youth Hostl Phon: baptist youth@xtra.co.nz Accommodation for trtiary studnts (17-23 yars). YMCA Young Mn's Christian Association of Auckland Phon: hostlonzymca.com Wbsit: Accommodation, fitnss cntrs, rcration programms, as wll as camping and aquatic activitis. Th Y.M.C.A has branchs in Ellrsli, Gln Inns, Lynfild, Mt Albrt, Massy and North Shor. YWCA Young Womn's Christian Association of Auckland Phon: Wbsit: Accommodation, information and support for womn, slf-stm slf dfnc and holiday programms. Gnral Dpartmnt of Child, Youth and Family Srvics Phon: (24 hrs) or (Family) Ovrall function is to nsur th wllbing of childrn and young prsons undr 17 yars of ag, within th contxt of thir family or whanau. Liflin Phon: (Offic) or liflin@liflin.org.nz Liflin aims to rduc prsonal strss through radily availabl counslling. Phon and fac to fac counslling availabl. Also chck out Maori Mntal Halth I Pacifica Mntal Halth I About Us Copyright 2012 Hadspac.org.nz I WbDsign by Digital Wavs I Hosting by Digital Wavs Top

18 GLENDOWIE PRIMARY SCHOOL 217 Riddll Road, Glndowi, Auckland 5. Ph/Fax: Dntal Clinic Ph: Dat: Dar Parnts I am writing to you out of concrn for your child. Thr is talk by th childrn that thy ar hoping to b intrviwd by th Mdia as thy had bn told this. Th concrn w hav is, that you as parnts hav givn prmission, and also that vidnc in Nw Zaland and world wid, shows that if th mdia go to print, thn thr is oftn a domino ffct of furthr daths by popl who may thn s this as an altrnativ to living. You nd to b assurd as parnts that th Spcialist Education Srvic, fundd by th Ministry, hav traind Psychologists and Counsllors who ar vry xprincd with working in th school situation and that should you nd any xtra assistanc from thm, thn plas contact th school. Kind Rgards Ann-Mari Biggs Principal

19 GLENDOWIE PRIMARY SCHOOL 217 Riddll Road, Glndowi, Auckland glndowi.school.nz Dat: Dar Parnts/Cargivrs I hop you rcivd my lttr on Friday informing you of th tragic dath of on of our studnts If parnts wish for thir child to attnd th funral, thn w would advis you that arrangmnts for collcting and rturning to school would b your rsponsibility plas. A rlivr will b in Rooms and classs will continu with th usual sssions. Kind Rgards Ann-Mari Biggs Principal

20 GLENDOWIE PRIMARY SCHOOL 217 Riddll Road, Glndowi, Dat: Dar Parnts/Guardians As many of you know, w hav had som sad nws that w hav communicatd to staff and studnts. Th family of hav advisd us that took hr own lif on W flt it was important, in ths circumstancs, to inform all of you what has happnd as your child may want to talk about this or you may want to talk to thm. If thy ar upst, ncourag thm to b with you or with thir frinds and to talk to you about this as much as thy nd to. In daling with th issu of suicid, thr things ar bing mphasisd to parnts: dath is prmannt suicid is not a good choic hlp is availabl to solv problms, and all problms can b workd through. W will b providing support at school for studnts who fl thy nd it, and you ar wlcom to phon us thr or to drop in at any tim. If thr is anything furthr w can do to hlp. Plas do not hsitat to mak contact. Yours sincrly Ann-Mari Biggs Principal

21 GLENDOWIE PRIMARY SCHOOL 217 Riddll Road, Glndowi, Auckland. Ph/Fax: Dat: Dar Parnt/Cargivr Ystrday two of our Yr. studnts wr tragically killd and two othrs injurd during a suddn storm at th Yr. camp at. A sht of roofing iron from an old hay barn struck th studnts as thy shltrd in thir tnt. and wr killd instantly. and rcivd a brokn lg and brokn ribs rspctivly and wr dischargd from hospital aftr an ovrnight stay. I hav visitd th parnts of and and offrd thm th condolncs of our whol school community, togthr with any support or hlp w ar abl to giv. Your sons and daughtrs may b affctd by th daths of our studnts and w hav mad som plans to provid support for thm at school if ndd. I will advis you furthr of ths shortly. It would b bst for our studnts to continu th school routin as normally as possibl and thy should attnd rgularly. Ractions of studnts will diffr and may includ crying, wanting to talk, or not wanting to talk, wanting to b alon, angr, lack of concntration, slping or ating problms. Should you or your child fl th nd for profssional hlp or counslling, plas contact m and I will advis you on th procdurs to accss this support. Yours sincrly Ann-Mari Biggs Principal

22 MEDIA REPONSE GUIDELINES On spoksprson will answr mdia nquiris, which will b kpt to a minimum,.g. Board Chairprson, Principal, Snior Managmnt mmbr. Staff, B.O.T. and community will b advisd of th mdia spoksprson. A writtn statmnt with a fw clar points will b usd for th mdia rlas. (Don't b tmptd to dviat from it. This will hav bn chck for accuracy, snsitivity and appropriatnss by th Rspons Tam). Acknowldg sympathy for th victims and familis first. No intrviw, filming tc. of studnts tc. will b hld within th school grounds. School mdia spoksprson will b cautious about commnting on family mattrs and situation, as this is an issu rlating spcifically to thm. School mdia spoksprson should not b afraid to answr no commnt to a qustion unabl to b answrd. Car must b takn by th school mdia spoksprson not to stat th caus of dath as it may b in brach of th Coronrs Act or caus futur lgal rprcussions. Mdia spoksprson should not acknowldg rsponsibility for th tragdy, as invstigation will b ongoing and not conclusiv at this stag. Rspons tam will caution parnts about allowing thir childrn to b intrviwd and filmd as this can caus snsationalism. Th vnt spcially in cass of suicid dramatiss cass of suicid or xcssiv focussing. It can also caus copycat suicids ask journalists to rspct this. "Th nds of th mdia and th nds of survivors do not hav to b at odds with ach othr. Th mdia / survivors can work co-oprativly in a way which is haling for th family, hlpful for socity and still 'slls nwspaprs' ". Dunn Maxim, P47.

23 "Th mdia should b ncouragd to print such things as warning signs, myths and facts, and information on community rsourcs as th mdia can ducat th public and prvnt othr suicids". It may b that th mdia spoksprson may rfus all mdia commnt on th basis of individual and family privacy. This would dpnd on th qustions as th mdia hav th right to ask qustions. Rgard all mdia convrsation as bing on th rcord. Do not ntr into discussion with th journalists aftr th intrviw is ovr. Kp a rcord of mdia rlass, including nam of journalist and thir organisations. In cass of far of a T.V. programm, snsationalizing a suicid in th school in th school, sk hlp from S.E.S., Lwis Rivrs S.E.S., Wllington, Commissionr of Childrn.

24 THE GRIEVING ADOLESCENT Th tnagr who is most apt to nd spcial hlp in his/hr griving is th on who cannot talk about dath whn it occurs. H/sh is probably indicating that h/sh cannot cop with th ida and his/hr philosophy of lif is not big nough to find a plac for it. Rmmbr that thr can b many positiv aspcts about th grif xprincd by an adolscnt, and th growth and crativity aspcts of grif nd to b acknowldgd. Adolscnts ract to dath in much th sam way as adults. Adolscnc is a tim whn youth is vry vulnrabl. Somtims whn confrontd with a dath, th adolscnt appars to ract with lack of fling. That may b his/hr way of using dnial as a coping mchanism bcaus h fls anxity that dath could happn to him/hr. Somtims whn an adolscnt is confrontd with dath h/sh is not coping with dath but a whol changd family structur. Imagin a situation whr th fathr has did, possibly unxpctdly. Th mothr's bhaviour may chang ovrnight as sh bgins to griv. Sh may suffr nausa, insomnia, crying, angr, dprssion, panic, somtims physical illnss, somtims a lack of motivation for going on with lif hrslf. So th adolscnt may b griving him/hrslf and at th sam tim coping with grif rsponss of othrs at hom. Bcaus thr is somtims no strong support systm from th family th adolscnt fls prssurd. H/sh dos not rally undrstand what is happning:- If th widowd parnt is having difficulty with hr/his own grif, sh/h May withdraw from hr/his childrn, including th tnagrs. H/sh is not so snsitiv to th adolscnt's nds at a tim whn ffctiv loving communication may b non-xistnt. Adolscnts ar oftn not abl to articulat thir flings or may not fl comfortabl about doing so, and as a rsult may act out thir grif in a numbr of ways. Aggrssion g dstruction, disruption, smashing, bashing, crashing. Angr Eg at prson who did, at prson causd dath, at thmslvs, Withdrawal at God, at th world. Eg shut away, don't want to b involvd, don't want to talk Scard about what's happnd. Eg spcially whn th dath vnt is thratning to th survivor, whn causs ar not xplaind. Thratnd g indications of th assumption of mor rsponsibility than is appropriat for his/hr ag. "You'll hav to tak Dad's plac". "Dad will nd you to do what Mum usd to do". You'll hav to b my hlpr. Truancy Dlinquncy g A fixation with th dcasd. anti-social bhaviour Dtrioration Lack of concntration g in school, in homwork, in job Day draming Confusion Inappropriat laughtr Hystria g (spcially in group Dnial Guilt situations)

25 Whr possibl adolscnts should b ncouragd to work through thir grif with counsllors who lov, car, shar, ncourag and undrstand. It is hlpful if adolscnts ar told that it is normal and not inappropriat to fl angry, to fl guilty, to fl numb or vn to hav a dsir to stop living. Adolscnts nd to b ncouragd to talk about th dcasd frind, th parnt or th sibling, to talk about th good tims and th bad tims. Oftn thr is guilt prsnt that nds to b discussd. W nd to support young popl as thy r-invst in lif again. Th loss xprinc may mak thrm withdraw and rfus to tak th normal risks. Thy build walls to kp out potntial losss. With tim, contact with othrs will hlp thm discovr thir own untappd talnts. W can b but guids - not dirctors, facilitators, or manipulators. Loss is a continuous part of lif, a part most of us wish to camouflag. It is unralistic to suggst that w should focus on loss and sadnss in som morbid fashion, but loss can tach us about lif: that loss is not som form of punishmnt. that griving is not som sort of illnss, nor somthing to hid. that motions ar nutral, not bad or good,; that popl nd popl.

26 TASKS FOR BEREAVED ADOLESCENTS Whn a frind dis, adolscnts los somon who has bn a part of thir livs and thir activitis. Sinc th normal and prdictabl rspons to loss is grif, our concrn is not whthr or not ths young popl will griv, but whthr that grif will b halthy or pathological. Adults can play an important rol in assuring that th grif is good grif - that it hlps th surviving group of young popl to stay psychologically halthy and that it strngthns thir capacity to cop with futur losss. To succssfully griv a dath young popl must accomplish four tasks: 1. Undrstanding - knowing th prson is no longr aliv; that is, his/hr body stoppd working and that h/sh will nvr again b part of th group in th way thy usd to b. This rquirs ag-appropriat, honst information. 2. Griving - xprincing and xprssing th flings that go with th loss. Ths oftn includ bing both sad and mad. Th spcific contnt of th grif will dpnd on th young prson(s) rlationship with th prson who did and on a varity of othr factors. 3. Commmorating - formally or informally rmmbring th lif of th prson who did. This confirms both th rality of th dath and th Valu of human lif. In cass of tnag suicid, it is particularly important to commmorat th lif, which has bn tragically short, rathr than th dath. 4. Going on - aftr undrstanding and griving th dath and commmorating th lif of thir frind, adolscnts nd to rsum thir usual activitis of living, larning and loving. It is oftn difficult for thm to know whn it is appropriat to rsum various social activitis.

27 THE PROCESS OF GRIEF Griving is oftn mad difficult bcaus our socity tnds to vad th whol issu of dath and dying. But w will grow and matur as human bings only if w ar allowd to griv succssfully. Grif is not a stat, but a procss, and so tim is an important part of it. Evryon's grif is uniqu. It may dpnd on our closnss to th prson who has did, th way in which th dath occurrd or th history of prvious grif. Diffrnt ractions to this grif procss ar now wll undrstood. Ths ractions tnd to follow som sort of ordr. A stat of shock Emotional xprssion Flings of dprssion Signs of physical distrss may show Panicky flings Flings of guilt Signs of hostility and rsntmnt Difficultis in doing th usual things Hop bgins to show through Struggling to adjust to rality prhaps natur's anasthtic - it just dosn't sink in. crying, sobbing tc. lonlinss. apparnt illnss. w worry about our obsssion with loss, "Will I vr b normal again?" "If only I'd. " finding somon o somthing to blam, "why did God do this tom?" bing with othrs is awkward: thr ar tims whn you can focus on somthing ls and vn laugh. not rturning to our old slvs. That is nvr possibl. Th procss of griving maks you diffrnt popl. W should nvr xpct a griving prson to follow all ths stags. Many do not.. Howvr, ths stags may hlp thos around th griving prson undrstand bhaviours and ractions that thy may com across. Som rsarchrs hav xprssd ths stags as a 'grif trough'. Simplifid it can b shown as follows: SHOCK, numb unral confusd GRADUAL ACCEPTANCE nw rlationships nw goals adjustmnts REACTION far, dprssion, guilt angr, mptinss

28 Training and Consultancy Hlping Survivors Pag 6 Issus affcting Survivors Stigma is frquntly flt, whthr prcivd or ral, and th survivor may isolat thmslvs. Thy fl thy ar diffrnt, infrior or a failur, and that lowrs thir slf worth. Sham is oftn flt by th surviving family. Thy may fl, and prciv othrs fl, that it is a dismac to hav had a lovd on commit suicid. Guilt is frquntly flt, spcially if th victim had givn warning signs which wr ignord. Somtims in sking xonration from guilt, survivors projct thir blaming flings onto othrs, such as counsllors, doctors or frinds. Trust is oftn diminishd, and th survivor fls thy cannot trust th counsllor, frinds or rlativs. Blam may b assignd to various mmbrs of th family. This may rsult in 'scapgoating' bhaviour. If a family blams ach othr thy will withdraw mutual support. Somtims frinds or profssionals may b blamd for th dath. Grif, whil always prsnt, may b complx and may rquir spcialist counsllin g. Suicid is usually suddn, and this adds to th alrady difficult procss of grif followin g a suicid. Angr is oftn flt towards th victim thmslvs for laving th family. Somtims angr is flt towards othrs, such as doctors, who th survivor fls should hav prvntd th suicid. Also, angr may b flt towards frinds or family mmbrs who may hav known about th suicidal intntions of th victim. Dnial that it was a suicid is oftn a way survivors cop, at last in th arly stags. If dnial is prsnt bravmnt bcoms mor complx and prolongd. Avoidanc. Survivors oftn fl popl avoid thm. Somtims survivors thmslvs avoid tlling th truth about th dath of thir lovd on, fling that this is a bttr way to handl th situation. Confusion. Survivors ar xtrmly confusd at th tim of th suicid, wondring "Why" did it happn, and oftn first rspondrs hav to inform thm mor than onc of options availabl to thm and information thy may nd. Ignoranc. Bcaus suicid is a whisprd word, and not usd oftn, th ignoranc about suicid is vry high. This includs frinds, popl who may b hlping th survivors, and indd th survivors thmslvs. Rjction. Th survivor will probably fl rjction that thir lovd on has chosn to lav thm in this way and thy may rjct hlp givn to thm bcaus thy may find it difficult to trust popl again. Suicidal thoughts ar quit common following th suicid of a clos rlativ or frind. Ths ar oftn hiddn but it is known that survivors ar at gratr risk.

29 Common Factors in Many Suicidal Adolscnts Family brakdown and conflict History of prvious suicidal idation / attmpt Substanc abus Low slf stm Dprssion Hoplssnss, hlplssnss, haplssnss Problms at school Changs in thir body Rlationship brak-ups Lonlinss and isolation Lack of slf car Unmploymnt Halth problms.g. AIDS, asthma, diabts Abus, physical, sxual and motional Risk taking bhaviour (S additional information in Haring th Cry, Suicid prvntion. Pags 30-39)

30 STAGES OF ADOLESCENT SUICIDE AND THEIR CUES Stag On: Existing Strssors Gnral unhappinss Dprssion, withdrawal, isolation Family problms, fw rsourcs Social alination School problms Stag Two: Additional Strssors Rcnt markd changs in bhaviour (wight chang, slp Difficultis tc.) Rcnt chang in situation (loss of frind, parnt, status, tc.) Carlssnss (prsonal habits, risk-taking, thrill-sking) Stag Thr: Contmplatd Suicid Thinly vild commnts ("I'll gt vn", "I'm a burdn") Qustions rgarding various ways to di Writing and drawing about suicid and dath Stag Four: Thratnd Suicid Mor dirct commnts about suicid ("I'm going to kill myslf") Suicid-rlatd acts Giving away prizd possssions Suddn happinss following dprssion A suicid plan Collcting drugs, guns (Pck, Farbrow and Litman, 1985) IDENTIFICATION OF "AT RISK" STUDENTS Dtction of a possibly suicidal young prson rquirs a knowldg of warning signs. As adolscnt bhaviour and mood swings can oftn b vry rratic, it can b difficult to assss th sriousnss of a givn situation. Howvr, any incidnt, thought or thrat of slf-harm rquirs srious attntion.

31 ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING WARNING SIGNS DOES NOT NECESSARILY INDICATE A RISK OF SUICIDE. A COMBINATION OF ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS MAY INDICATE THE PRESON HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS WHICH MAY LEAD TO A SUICIDE ATTEMPT. A young prson may display svral or non of ths signs. Withdrawal from frinds or family or othr major bhavioural changs. Prsonality changs such as nrvousnss, outbursts of angr, impulsiv or rcklss bhaviour or apathy about apparancs or halth. Suddn and xtrm changs in ating habits, losing or gaining wight. Frqunt irritability or unxplaind crying. Changs in slping pattrns too much or too littl. Lingring flings of unworthinss or failur. Us of drugs or alcohol. High risk of bhaviour. Pr-occupation with thms of dath or xprssing suicidal thoughts. Rcnt suicid of frind or rlativ. Prvious suicid attmpts may man that th prson is at high risk of trying again. Giving away prizd possssions, making a will or othr "final" arrangmnts. This can indicat that an attmpt is imminnt. Thrats of suicid. Ths includ mntioning mystrious "long trips" or "it won't mattr aftr tomorrow", as wll as ovrt thrats, "You'll b sorry, I'll kill myslf". Always tak thrats sriously. Suddn lift in spirits aftr a priod of dprssion can indicat that a prson has found a solution to solving th problm or nding th pain i.. committing suicid. Unxpctd rduction of acadmic prformanc. Grif about a significant loss. Physical symptoms with motional caus.g. slf-dstruction, rducd car. Hoplssnss pssimistic outlook to lif.

32 Figur 2: An ovrviw of th procsss of rcognition, intrvntion, assssmnt and managmnt of young popl at risk of suicid Ths vnts must b rspondd to Studnt tlls staff of attmpt or thoughts and plans in slf/othr Studnt or staff mmbr larns of attmpt rfrral to Guidanc Counsllor Counsllor talks to studnt to clarify concrns Staff mmbr blivs that a studnt is at risk Fdback to original sourc of rfrral Studnt not considrd at risk Concrns confirmd Counsllor complts risk assssmnt Counsllor informs principal - informs othr staff only as ncssary Principal informs family Or cargivr Counsllor documnts procss Rfr Managmnt Plan - STabl 2 Not: Counsllor in Glndowi Primary School mans th Traumatic Incidnc Tam or if not considrd at risk to RTLB. M.O.E. "Young Popl at Risk of Suicid". P.19)

33 COMMON REACTIONS TO TRAUMA Although ach prson's xprinc is a uniqu prsonal vnt, thr ar som common ractions that ar normally xprincd aftr a lif thratning trauma. It is rassuring to know how othrs ract to similar situations. Normal Flings Exprincd SHOCK FEARS ANGER HELPLESSNESS SADNESS SHAME disblif at what has happnd numbnss, th vnt may sn unral, lik a dram slow comprhnsion of what has happnd of damag to onslf, or dath of a rcurrnc of th vnt awarnss of prsonal vulnrability panicky irrational flings othr apparntly unrlatd flings othr apparntly unrlatd fars at who causd it or "allowd it to happn" outrag at what happnd at th injustic and snslssnss of it all gnralisd angr and irritability criss show up human powrlssnss, as wll as strngth about human dstruction, and losss of vry kind for loss of th blif that th world is saf and prdictabl for having bn xposs as hlplss, "motional" and nding othrs for not having ractd as on would hav wishd Ths flings ar common. Exprssing thm allows natur to hal. Thy usually last for short priods at a tim and gradually diminish ovr th first fw wks. Effcts on Bhaviour Th ffct can b xprssd in many ways and in various combinations. TENSION SLEEP DISTURBANCE DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES FEARFULNESS mor asily startld, gnral agitation, physical or mntal tnsnss inability to slp, thoughts that prvnt slp, rplaying th incidnt of th incidnt or othr vivid and frightning vnts - of th plac, or rmindrs of th incidnt

34 TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF THE POSITIVE SIDE During a priod of strss, w ar mor pron to accidnts and physical illnss. It is important to look aftr yourslf by driving mor carfully, having sufficint slp, maintaining a good dit, and having opportunity for rlaxation. Aftr trauma, popl can com out wisr and strongr. At a community lvl, bonds btwn popl can b strngthnd by having shard an intnsiv xprinc togthr. Your xprinc of this vnt may hlp you to cop bttr with th strsss of vryday lif. It can also b a turning point whr you r-valuat th valu of lif and apprciat th littl things that ar oftn ovrlookd. Try and idntify th positiv aspcts for yourslf or thos who ar clos to you. WHEN TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP Popl may nd xtra hlp in gtting ovr such an xprinc. Your family and frinds may b bttr judgs of whn you nd hlp. You may nd xtra hlp: 1. If you cannot handl th intns flings or bodily snsations. If you fl that your motions ar not rturning to normal ovrt priod of tim, you fl chronic tnsion or confusion. If you continu to hav bodily symptoms.. 2. If you continu to fl numb and mpty and do not hav appropi'iat flings. If you hav to kp activ in ordr to avoid thinking and fling. 3. If you continu to hav nightmars and disturbd slp. 4. If you hav no prson or group with whom to shar your motions. 5. If your rlationships and work sm to b suffring or chang as a rsult of th vnt. 6. If you ar having accidnts and/or incrasing th us of alcohol or drugs. 7. If your spous or childrn ar showing any of thos ffcts and you wish to discuss th mattr. 8. If thr ar any ongoing changs in motions or bhaviours that ar worrying you.

35 HOW WE CAN HELP GRIEVING STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM B awar that: shock and dnial may initially numb or stun popl. motional xprssion can b vry turbulnt. flings of guilt, far and, in som cass, panic may follow. attntion span will b limitd during th wks following th dath. tim has to b takn for th grif procss. all grif coms togthr; b patint and undrstanding that othr prsonal grif will com out at this tim. It is important to: ncourag and normalis motional xprssion. talk about th dcasd prson how/whn did you har about it? how did you know thm? how did you fl whn you found out? what wr thy lik at school sports music liks/disliks as a frind Som of this discussion may b tachr dirctd or may mrg as part of small group discussion. Giv spac to studnts if thy nd it. Counsllors Opportunity room (may b dsignatd aras staffd by a tachr) Library Sitting in th sun B affirming of all motional rsponss, thr is no right way to griv. Not: Support from counsllors is availabl for studnts about whom you ar rally concrnd. Somtims grif stirs up suicidal thinking. B rsponsiv to qustions. Giv honst, simpl and dirct answrs. If you don't undrstand somthing, lt th studnts know that too. Giv brifing information accuratly, but don't focus on th mthod, rathr on th prmanncy i.. a lif has ndd. If appropriat, a touch on th shouldr or arm can man a lot to a griving studnt. Encourag childrn to b togthr. Advis childrn thy may approach dsignatd staff for support. Points 1-10 (P.31 Ros Education). Provid opportunitis to discuss that in cass of suicid suicid choic is not a good on dath is prmannt Hlp is availabl show how?

36 Focus of Postvntion Counslling Postvntion counslling focuss on motional and bhavioural ractions that intrfr with a halthy, griving procss and with survivors' ability to cop with th crisis. It concntrats on normalising th many conflicting ractions, such as angr, guilt, sham, blam, dnial, and anxity. Ractions can vary both in timin g and intnsity. All survivors ar vulnrabl. Flings of guilt ar oftn paramount. It must b rmmbrd that suicid is th act of an individual, for which othrs cannot assum rsponsibility. Grif rsolution aftr suicid may tak as long as two yars, and in som cass much longr. Postvntion fforts may stop aftr a fw wks, but th nd for individual and group counslling for thos closly affctd should continu. Th annivrsary of th suicid and othr spcial occasions may rkindl th initial acut grif. Guidlins for Postvntion Counslling 1. Rassur studnts thr is no "ri g ht way" to fl aftr a suicid. Do not try to chr thm up, as thy nd to xprinc th pain to progrss through thir grif. 2. Explain and ncourag xprssion of flings such as; far, sadnss, shock, guilt, angr at othrs or at th victim. Encourag studnts to undrstand that ths painful flings can b hlpd through discussion and counsllin. 3. Hlp studnts clarify th facts of th suicid. Ask studnts to rpat information thy know and corrct th rrors if ncssary. 4. No on is to blam. Th suicid was th choic of th victim. Th counsllor should not spculat why th victim chos to di or who is to blam. Acknowldg survivors want to know "why", yt imprss on thm that th only on who rally knows th answr is now dad. 5. Encourag th studnts or survivors to dscrib thir mmoris about thir frind. Ths mmoris may b happy, sad or angry. Prhaps thy can dscrib th last tim thy saw th victim and what thy said or wish thy had said. 6. Th suicid should not b dscribd in positiv trms or th vnt glamorisd. It is nithr romantic nor hroic. Howvr, suicid dos bring attntion, which may b appaling for thos sking attntion. Studnts nd to b ncouragd to focus on mor appropriat ways to gt attntion from significant othrs. 7. It is important to acknowldg that suicidal thoughts ar common but thy do not hav to b actd upon. Thr ar othr altrnativs and options.

37 8. Ask at risk studnts to rqust additional counslling. If ncssary, mt with parnts so an appropriat rfrral can b organisd. 9. Encoura g discussion of rcnt losss and dscription of thir xprincs at funrals, and what might b xpctd at this on. Talk about possibl condolnc mssags to th family. This may b a nw xprinc and caus anxity whn thy ar unsur about what to say. 10. Ensur studnts hav adquat support for thmslvs and thir frinds. Encourag thm to talk about thir flings. List numbrs of th local Liflin twnty-four hour tlphon counslling srvic, and othr counslling agncis. Staff Support It is important to ralis that counsllin g and support should b availabl for th staff. Mtings could b arrangd individually or in small groups. Howvr, som staff may prfr to avoid discussion of thir own flings and focus on th studnts. Thir wishs nd to b rspctd as long as thy sm appropriat. Communicating with th Mdia Publicity about th suicid should b minimisd as much as possibl, spcially covrag that tnds to snsationalis or glamoris th suicid. On prson only, prfrably th principal, should b th spoksprson for th mdia. It is important not to rfus information to th mdia. Howvr, guidlins nd to b st in plac in th postvntion plan, and rportrs should not b givn accss to school grounds or b allowd to film or intrviw studnts or staff on school proprty. Th prson dlgatd to spak to th mdia should b wll informd and know how to dal with rportrs. Dtails rlasd should only includ thos rlating to th school. It is th family's sol prrogativ to provid prsonal information about th victim. It should b rmmbrd "Th nds of th mdia and th nds of survivors do not hav to b at odds with ach othr. Th mdia and survivors can work co-oprativly in a way which is haling for th family, hlpful for socity, and still 'slls nwspaprs'."(dunn-maxim, 1987, P47) Th mdia should b ncouragd to print such things as warning signs, myths and facts, and information on community rsourcs as th mdia can ducat th public and prvnt othr suicids. Th Surviving Family School staff who hav a clos rlationship with th family should b th ons to offr support. Clos liaison with th griving family should b maintaind. School prsonnl ar in an xcllnt position to ascrtain whthr or not th family would lik studnts to visit, or tak part in th mmorial srvic. Th family mmbrs will long rmmbr th hlpfulnss and kindnsss shown during this tim. Familis oftn fl isolatd and stigmatisd. Thy nd rassuranc that thy ar not blamd. Thy will probably tak comfort in knowing that th school is working to hlp th othr studnts and tachrs with thir grif and will want to co-oprat in this procis. Th family should b consultd about any plannd mmorial activity.

38 STAFF WELL BEING Looking aftr yourslf Acknowldg that this is on of lif's hard bits. Evaluat your own wll-bing at th tim of th traumatic incidnt. If you hav major problms in your lif, ths will affct your ability to contribut to th rcovry of othrs. Idntify prsonal and profssional support structurs. Profssional support from immdiat collagus, othrs who hav workd in Traumatic Incidnts. Prsonal support from immdiat collagus, family, frinds or significant othrs. Sk and dfin suprvision to provid ongoing monitoring of th work that you ar doing to assist rcovry. Ensur that your managmnt undrstands th natur of th task and th lvl of support you nd. Tak tim to talk with a mmbr, of th Crisis Managmnt Tam and th Principal. Rcognis your own skills. Rcognis your own limitations. Rcognis that you too will nd to rcovr. Rcognis that th prsonal impact of a Traumatic Incidnt will affct your family. This can happn in unxpctd ways. For xampl, th guilt associatd with. Traumatic Incidnts can dstroy prsonal rlationships. Rcognis th valu of th work that you ar doing.

39 LOOKING AFTER YOUR COLLEAGUES Rcovry from a Traumatic Incidnt is bst don through tam work. This rquirs snsitivity within tams. Part of this snsitivity is th nd to b awar of th impact that th Traumatic Incidnt is having on collagus. This is on of lif's hard bits for thos you ar working with. Rcognis th principls of ownrship for thos you ar working with. Popl on th tam must hav ral choics about thir lvl of involvmnt and support. Profssional support should b availabl from immdiat collagus, and othrs who hav workd in Traumatic Incidnts. Exampls of profssional support ar: rdistribution of day to day rsponsibilitis appropriat fac to fac consultation appropriat communication with non-involvd staff appropriat psychological assistanc rlas tim for assisting with rcovry appropriat follow-up and monitoring of tam mmbfs Thos who work in Traumatic Incidnts assisting th rcovry of survivors ar likly to diminish thir own rcovry nds. Collagus hav a rsponsibility to rcognis this tndncy. Th procss of looking aftr collagus is not haphazard. Prsonal and profssional support is critical to thir ability to rsum day to day lif. This support nds to b plannd.