Self-Harm and Attempted Suicide Response

Self-care for school staff

Supporting students who are experiencing significant emotional distress and may be engaging in self-harm can be stressful and leave school staff feeling emotionally fatigued. It is important that school staff seek their own support from colleagues, school leaders and professional services. Enacting your own self-care strategies and support network is also critical during this time.

Department employees and their immediate family members can access support through the Employee Wellbeing Support Services (formerly Employee Assistance Program (EAP)). For more information, refer to Employee Wellbeing Support Services.

Healthy principals are central to ensuring a positive environment for teaching and successful outcomes for students. For more information, refer to Principal Health and Wellbeing.

Self-care strategies

Self-care strategies school staff can implement include:

• looking out for signs of traumatic stress, including burnout and vicarious trauma
• making time for rest as this is critical for resilience
• spending time with family and friends
• scheduling pleasant activities and maintaining a schedule and routine
• reducing intake of stimulants (for example, coffee, alcohol, energy drinks)
• eating well-balanced regular meals to help you maintain physical and emotional wellbeing, energy and balance. There is increasing evidence linking a good diet to mental health
• incorporating physical exercise into daily routines
• using support networks at home and at school (including reaching out to personal and professional mentors)
• engaging in relaxation activities (for example, meditation or mindfulness)
• if desired, talking through experiences with a trusted friend or other support mechanisms to avoid being overwhelmed.

Staff can also access the 9 Managing Trauma eLearn modules available through eduPay (search 'managing trauma' in My LearnED).

School leaders can promote staff self-care by:

• building an environment in which mental health and wellbeing are prioritised
• supporting staff to seek and access wellbeing support services
• providing opportunities to debrief after possibly distressing events
• maintaining an open-door policy and ensuring staff know who they can talk to about their mental health and wellbeing
• promoting available wellbeing services.

For further supports and information, refer to Employee Wellbeing Support Services.

Health and wellbeing services for principals (including assistant and acting) are available. For more information, refer to Principal Health and Wellbeing Strategy.