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Do not talk about the details of the student’s death.
Let students know as soon as possible. Your school’s emergency response team must use and adapt the script for students.
The script makes sure students receive consistent and accurate information. It helps you manage any rumours or misinformation that come up.
Students affected by the news must not leave the school unaccompanied.
Offer to call and ask their parents or carers to collect them. If they need to stay at the school, remind them about the support room.
Use small groups
The preferred way to inform students is:
- home or pastoral care groups
- class groups
- year level groups.
Make sure staff sharing this news are comfortable doing so.
Do not use school assembly
Whole school assemblies are not recommended.
Student reactions are more difficult to manage in large groups. It’s harder to support individuals.
It can also be hard to notice when a student leaves a large group.
Specific student groups
Close friends
Speak to close friends individually, or in small groups. If possible a student wellbeing leader or school counsellor should do this. How this happens depends on the relationships in the group.
Don’t assume that the student’s closest friends are in the same year level.
Siblings
Do not assume biological siblings are the student’s only siblings.
Students in the same class as a sibling at the school
This group will have a classmate grieving the loss of a sibling. They will need more help to understand how to support their classmate. It might be appropriate to have a counsellor or mental health professional speak to this group as well as the class teacher.
Students in the same year level
Sharing with this group is a way to recognise their close association with the student. It helps because these students probably want to know what’s happening. They might also have different support needs than the rest of the school.
Aboriginal students
Let all the Aboriginal students know in their own group, separate from the main group. All sectors are encouraged to contact the Department for Education – Aboriginal Education team for culturally appropriate advice.
Students with a culturally or linguistically diverse background
Students with this background might need more support.
Community liaison officers (CLOs) can help you understand what a sudden death means in different cultures.
CLOs are available in Government schools.
LGBTQIA+ students
Students who are gender and sexually diverse often experience poorer mental health and have a higher risk of suicidal behaviour.
It’s important that information about the gender or sexuality of a student who has died remains confidential.
Other LGBTIQ+ students might need more support at this time.
Children in care
Children in care are supported by Department for Child Protection (DCP) case workers and their carers. If you have identified a child in care might need additional help to manage their reactions or safety needs, contact their DCP case worker for further advice.
DCP will be best placed to continue to monitor and engage additional external supports as needed.
Should you use the student’s name?
It depends.
The issue of naming the student will vary. You should be sensitive to the family’s wishes. You should also think about any specific cultural needs.
Be sure to check with the family if it is appropriate to use:
- the deceased student’s name
- an alternative, or
- no name.
This also applies to images of the deceased.
There are specific needs if the student is Aboriginal.
Students will eventually find out the deceased student’s name. At first, it might be more appropriate to only use the student’s name with:
- students in the same year level
- students in the class of a sibling.
Learning at home
Some of your students might be learning at home.
Contact SWISS or Be You – headspace about this. They can give you advice specific to your school.