In an emergency
- Call an ambulance (000) immediately.
- Seek support from a school leader. Do not manage the situation alone.
- Follow the school’s emergency management plan.
- Follow Responding to self-harm incidents in the Guidance tab
Some instances of self-harm require urgent medical attention. In the school environment, an urgent response is required if the student, for example:
- Has been poisoned, has overdosed, has made a mistake with medicines (contact the Victorian Poisons Information Centre 131 126)
- is confused, disoriented or unconscious (contact 000)
- has bleeding that is rapid or pulsing (contact 000).
For more information, refer to the Concussion Recognition Tool and Blood Spills and Open Wounds Management policy.
The immediate priority of the staff member who is responding to the self-harm incident is ensuring the safety of the student and other students.
The principal or their delegate must report the incident to the Incident Support and Operations Centre (ISOC). For more information, refer to: Managing and Reporting School Incidents (Including Emergencies).
Emotional safety
This policy and guidance refers to the topics of self-harm and suicide. You may have an emotional response as you engage with the material.
Employees of the department can access tailored support across 8 different service streams and 6 specialist helplines through the Employee Wellbeing Support Services (formerly Employee Assistance Program (EAP)). Immediate family members of department employees (18 years and older) can access the Family Assist stream. To organise support, call 1300 291 071. Crisis support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This service is fully funded by the department.
For more information, refer to Employee Wellbeing Support Services and Principal Health and Wellbeing.
Policy
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to schools on preventing and responding to incidents of self-harm, including suicidal behaviours.
Summary
- For policy relating to responding to the suicide or suspected suicide of a student and guidance for secondary schools, refer to Suicide Response (Postvention).
- The Preventing and responding to distress in primary school students: A guide for addressing self-harm, including suicidal behaviours (Primary school guidelines) and Responding to self-harm, including suicide attempts, in students: a guide to assist secondary schools (Secondary school guidelines) provide guidance to assist schools in preventing or responding to disclosures, evidence of and incidents of self-harm in students, regardless of the intent or reason.
- Specialist schools may use the guidance (primary or secondary school) that best aligns with the developmental age of the students involved.
- Teaching staff must report all incidents to school leadership. It is not the role of teaching staff to determine the intent of self-harm or provide mental health treatment. The principal or their delegate must report and manage self-harm incidents in accordance with their Emergency Management Plan and the Managing and Reporting School Incidents (Including Emergencies) policy.
- The principal or their delegate must report all critical incidents including self-harm, attempted self-harm, suicidal ideation, suicide or suspected suicide to the Incident Support Operations Centre (ISOC) using the Managing and Reporting School Incidents (Including Emergencies) policy.
- ISOC will provide support if necessary and refer reports with a risk rating of medium or higher to Area-based Student Support Services (SSS) staff, who will usually support the school.
- Schools may also contact their Health and Wellbeing or SSS key contact for further support.
- Additional information about recognising, preventing and responding to self-harm, as well as information on whole school approaches to mental health and wellbeing is available in the Guidance tab.
Details
Self-harm refers to instances of a person deliberately harming their body, regardless of their motive or suicidal intent. This might include:
- non-suicidal self-injury
- substance misuse
- overeating
- self-sabotaging actions.
Intent sets self-harm apart from a suicide attempt. While self-harm and suicide are sometimes directly linked, such as in a suicide attempt, most people who engage in self-harm do so without intending to end their life.
Self-harm behaviours are likely to be expressions of distress or maladaptive coping strategies because children and young people are experiencing emotions that they are unable to manage on their own. These expressions of distress can vary across year levels due to the different development ages and stages of students.
An evidence-informed and timely response to supporting students who have engaged, or continue to engage, in self-harming behaviours in response to psychological distress offers the greatest opportunity to disrupt the cycle of self-harm and reduce potential ongoing mental health and wellbeing difficulties in the future.
Schools have an important responsibility and duty of care to respond to promote positive help-seeking behaviours and support students to develop safe coping strategies.
Primary schools
Preventing and responding to distress in primary school students: A guide for addressing self-harm, including suicidal behaviours (Primary school guidelines) has been developed in partnership with headspace. It provides guidance to assist schools with primary school students in responding to disclosures, evidence of and incidents of self-harm in students, regardless of the intent or reason.
Secondary schools
Responding to self-harm, including suicide attempts, in students: a guide to assist secondary schools (Secondary school guidelines) was developed in partnership with headspace. It provides guidance to assist schools with secondary school students in responding to disclosures, evidence of and incidents of self-harm in students, regardless of the intent or reason.
Specialist Schools
Specialist schools are encouraged to follow the guidance (primary or secondary school) that best aligns with the developmental age of the students involved.
International students
Where an incident involves an international student and if the information is known, the reporting school must advise ISOC whether the department has accepted responsibility for ensuring appropriate accommodation and welfare arrangements. Refer to the department’s policy for more information: International Student Program (ISP).
Privacy and duty of care
School staff have a duty of care to take reasonable steps to reduce the risk of reasonably foreseeable harm to students in their care. If school staff become aware of student wellbeing or safety risks, including a student who is at risk of self-harm or suicide, this information should be provided to the principal, or other appropriate leadership staff, so that appropriate steps can be taken to support the safety of students. Use of this information in that context is consistent with the Schools’ privacy and relevant privacy obligations.
Personal and health information must be collected and managed appropriately in accordance with relevant laws and departmental policy. For more information, refer to Privacy and Information Sharing.
Related policies
- Child and Family Violence Information Sharing Schemes
- Duty of Care
- Emergency and Critical Incident Management Planning
- Managing and Reporting School Incidents (Including Emergencies)
- Mental Health in Schools
- Protecting Children – Reporting and Other Legal Obligations
- Suicide Response (Postvention)
Relevant legislation
- Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005
- Child Wellbeing and Safety (Information Sharing) Regulations 2018
- Health Records Act 2001
- Family Violence Protection Act 2008
- Family Violence Protection (Information Sharing and Risk Management) Regulations 2018
- Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014
Contacts
For support responding to Low to Medium risk incidents:
- Make a report using eduSafe Plus (staff login
- Schools may contact their Student Support Services (SSS) key contact
For support responding to High and Extreme incidents:
- contact ISOC by calling 1800 126 126
- schools may contact their Student Support Services (SSS) key contact
For policy advice contact the Student Mental Health Branch:
Reviewed 28 August 2025