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Merseyside Youth Association

Suicide prevention training. How Serious is Serious?

Suicide prevention training for professionals working with young people

The ‘How Serious is Serious’ suicide prevention model has been developed by Merseyside Youth Association’s RAISE team, working in partnership with Wirral CAMHS and YPAS.

The programme’s content has been guided by parents of young people who have died by suicide, children and young people’s participation groups and mental health professionals. Its development was funded by the Liverpool CDOP (Child Death Overview Panel) in response to growing concerns about the number of children and young people who end up looking to suicide as the only answer to the difficulties they are facing.


Suicide is becoming an increasing concern among children and young people, with adolescent suicide rates in England and Wales having increased by 7.9% annually since 2010 (Bould et al., 2019). The most recent figures have shown a further increase in young people aged 15-19 years and women under the age of 24 years (Office for National Statistics [ONS], 2022). In Northwest England specifically, the rates of young people presenting at Accident and Emergency (A&E) Departments for suicidal ideation with self-harm have increased (Ashworth et al., 2022), and hospital admissions for self-harm in 10–24-year-olds are significantly higher than the national average (Lewis et al., 2017). 


 

This training has been designed to help professionals working with children and young people to spot the signs of a young person at risk of suicide and, more importantly, to build confidence in professionals to talk openly with young people about suicide.


Suicide prevention strategy for England: 2023 to 2028

When someone takes their own life, the impact on family and friends is devastating and widespread, with many people throughout the community feeling the aftershocks.

There are still over 5,000 deaths by suicide in England each year. The male rate remains three times higher. Suicide and self-harm have increased in young people.

While the suicide rate in under-20s is relatively low compared with older age groups, rates across all age groups under 25 have been increasing over the last decade in England. This increase is particularly apparent among females under 25. This increase in rates is now levelling off – however, we must focus action to reverse this trend.

Source: Suicide prevention strategy for England: 2023 to 2028

 


As professionals, we need to realise every young person is at risk. There are certain things we can look out for that will indicate to us that certain young people are particularly vulnerable when it comes to suicide.

This programme will show you how to spot the signs of a young person at risk of suicide and, more importantly, to build confidence in professionals to talk openly with young people about suicide.

Serious about suicide prevention group of characters

Interested?

If you are interested in hearing more about the SERIOUS programme in your area, please register your details and you will be contacted when dates become available.

You can book your place here.

We will share this information with the designated workforce leads within your Local Authority to notify them that you would like to do this training.