Your school’s emergency response team might need to make decisions about planned events or documents that relate to the deceased student.

Examples include:

• year books
• graduation nights
• awards the student had already received.

Think about:

• vulnerable students
• if it’s appropriate to use the student’s name or photo.

Consider the family’s wishes

Make sure you carefully liaise with the family about their wishes. Respect what they want to have happen.

The family may have wishes that are contradictory of best practice for keeping other members of the community safe. Government schools can contact SWISS, and Catholic and Independent schools can contact Be You – headspace for support in these situations.

Maintain contact with the student’s family unless they specifically ask you to stop. When you stay connected it means you can stay aware of their wishes.

Each school will approach these decisions in their own way.

Cultural and family sensitivity and awareness must guide your decisions.