This program equips clinicians and school-based mental health professionals to recognise and respond to suicidality and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in primary school children.

Building on Youth in Distress: Managing Suicidality and Self-Harm, it strengthens skills in risk assessment, safety planning, and working with parents and carers, with additional focus on high-risk groups such as First Nations children and those on the autism spectrum.

Topics

• Identifying suicidality and NSSI in children

• Misconceptions about suicidal thoughts and NSSI in children

• Best practice approaches in responding to suicidality and NSSI in children

• Additional considerations for children at increased risk (First Nations, ASD and ADHD)

• Developing a management plan using a team approach

• Resources to support safety planning with children and parents

Audience and Pre-requisites

• Mental health clinicians working in a 1:1 setting with young people (psychologists, counsellors)

• School counsellors and school psychologists who have completed Youth in Distress: Managing suicidality and self-harm, which focuses on responding to young people of high school age. This provides the baseline knowledge required for the primary school version of Youth in Distress. Ideally a gap of around six months between participation in the high school and primary school versions of Youth in Distress as this will allow for stronger consolidation of the learnings across both trainings. If you have not completed this training, ISQ has two offerings (online and in person in May 2026).

To complete the training participants must have their own computer to log into the event with and have a device equipped with a microphone and camera. Participants must engage virtually throughout the workshop to receive recognition of learning from Black Dog Institute.

By registering for this event you're agreeing to your contact details being share with Black Dog Institute.

This training has been subsidised by the Drug and Alcohol Funding.