Course Overview
Children's mental health problems are rising dramatically, with one in six children aged 7–16 and one in four older teens experiencing mental health disorders. Vulnerable groups face even higher risks, such as LGBTQ+ youth, children in care and also children from low-income families, who are four times more likely to develop serious mental health conditions.
This programme provides learners with the foundational knowledge and practical skills needed to effectively intervene in situations where a young person may be contemplating suicide in any educational or social setting.
Designed for anyone in a position to support young people, including school staff, health professionals, youth clubs, university or college staff, people in the community and family members. This programme equips you with the tools to recognise the signs of suicide thoughts and behaviour. It shows you how to initiate lifesaving conversations and connect young people with appropriate resources.
Course Structure
This 1-day course can be delivered online or in-person and includes a mix of interactive presentations, real-life case studies, and role-playing exercises specifically related to young people, ensuring Learners leave with practical, actionable skills.
This course is written by the National Centre for Suicide Prevention and Education, the UK’s leading international provider of assured suicide prevention education and training programmes. It is also fully accredited by the Royal Society For Public Health.
Key Learning Outcomes:
Understanding Suicide: Gain insights into the complex factors that can lead to suicide thoughts and behaviours in young people experiencing acute stress, including school pressures, mental health challenges, and societal factors.
Recognising the Signs in young people: Learn how to identify the verbal, behavioural, and situational indicators that someone may be thinking about suicide.
Effective Communication Techniques for Distressed Young People: Develop skills to engage in sensitive and supportive conversations tailored to those struggling, helping to de-escalate crises and offer hope.
Immediate Intervention Strategies for Thoughts of Suicide: Acquire practical tools and approaches for providing immediate support to young people vulnerable to suicide, including how to refer them to mental health professionals and counselling services.
Ethical Considerations in Suicide Prevention: Understand the ethical and safeguarding responsibilities involved in suicide prevention within the context of supporting young people, including confidentiality, consent, and the importance of self-care.
As well as receiving a certificate, by attending the course, learners will gain:
An understanding of how you would have a supportive conversation with a child or young person who needs to stay safefrom suicide.
An understanding of factors that contribute to suicide thoughts.
Confidence to offer support to a child or young person in distress or who may be experiencing suicide thoughts.
Knowledge of helpful and destigmatising language when talking about suicide.
We deliver MHFA England’s evidence-based training, trusted by over 20,000 employers for over 15 years.
Our courses are available online or face-to-face, ensuring accessibility for teams anywhere.
Our training helps create supportive workplace cultures, boosting productivity with measurable results.
Expertise in mental health
Providing tools to respond effectively during mental health crises.
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Increasing understanding of mental health conditions and their symptoms.
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Educating teams on strategies to enhance mental health and resilience.
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Providing tools to respond effectively during mental health crises.
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Promoting open conversations to break down barriers around mental health.
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Delivering impactful training in schools and colleges to foster early awareness.
We provide a range of courses online or in-person, including Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training, mental health skills for managers training, Mental Health Awareness training, Suicide First Aid (SFA), Suicide First Aid Lite (SFA Lite), Suicide First Aid Heavy Industry and work placemental health consultancy.
Our courses are designed for employees, managers, HR professionals, and business leaders who want to create a mentally healthy workplace. Whether you’re looking to train dedicated Mental Health First Aiders and Suicide First Aiders, or equip managers with mental health skills, we have a course to suit your needs.
Yes, all our courses are fully accredited by the Royal Society of Public Health. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), Mental Health Awareness and Mental Health Skills for Managers are created by MHFA England, and are based on research and developed by mental health experts alongside people with lived experience of mental ill health. Our Suicide Prevention courses are created by The National Centre for Suicide Prevention Education and Training – the UK’s leading international provider of assured suicide prevention education.
We have training options to suit a range of timescales and budgets. The Mental Health Awareness, Mental Health Skills for Managers, Suicide First Aid Lite and Suicide First Aid for Heavy Industries are half-day courses. The Suicide First Aid and Suicide First Aid for Heavy Industries are one-day courses. The Mental Health First Aider course is two-days.
Yes! We offer whole group training sessions for businesses, or you can book for one or several colleagues to join participants from other organisations. We also limit group sizes to a maximum of 16 people to ensure a safe and supportive learning environment.
Take the next step in creating a supportive, productive workplace, reach out now.
At Understanding Minds, our mission is to create healthier, more inclusive workplaces through online and onsite mental health first aid training—so every employee feels supported, valued, and empowered.
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