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Schools should revisit their anti-bullying policy to help prevent suicide

Expert on suicide prevention tells conference to stop ignoring victims of bullying.
Bullying at school

Schools can contribute to suicide prevention by examining their anti-bullying policy, according to a mental health charity.


Picture: Alamy

Under UK legislation, all state schools must have an anti-bullying policy in place.

Mental Health Foundation head of empowerment and social inclusion David Crepaz-Keay said: ‘There is one really practical thing any school can do, which is to sort out their anti-bullying policy.’

He made the statement in his address to the suicide prevention conference at the University of Salford last week, adding: ‘So often victims of bullying don’t get their issues addressed.’

He said people who engage in bullying behaviour are often at risk of suicide as well.

Change of tack

One head teacher who attended the conference said charities and organisations seeking to connect with schools on suicide prevention may need to change their approach. 

‘Suicide is scary,’ he said. ‘Depression, mental health and anxiety are not. If you come and knock on the door and say, “Can we talk to your school about anxiety?”, I think they would be much more likely to take it on board.’

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