Young person with mental health challenges supports school anti suicide education

A young person in our care, who survived multiple suicide attempts, is today championing a campaign to make suicide prevention part of the national curriculum.

Earlier this year, the Department for Education updated the Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) guidance to include new content on suicide prevention, specifically aimed at secondary school pupils.

To support this, St Andrew’s Healthcare has expanded its existing school programme, LightBulb.

It has been redesigned by teachers from the charity’s Children and Adolescence Mental Health Service (CAMHS) College to include early intervention courses created for children struggling within the school environment.

Speaking out on Suicide Prevention Day (Wednesday, September 10), Kai - who lives with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) - believes that education around suicide could have a transformative impact on young people.

The 17-year-old said: “I’m really glad that suicide prevention is going to be taught in schools. I wish my teachers had understood me better. I often wonder whether having someone at school who could help me understand myself might have made a difference.

“I have flashbacks and nightmares. I’ve struggled a lot with the trauma I’ve experienced. Before I came to St Andrew’s, I was trying to end my life every day. It got to the point where everyone gave up on me - they said they could no longer manage the risks I posed.”

Kai was previously a patient at St Andrew’s Healthcare’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), where he received specialist treatment. His mental health began to deteriorate at the age of nine, and by 13, his challenges had intensified, making school increasingly difficult to navigate. As well as CPTSD, Kai also has attachment disorder and emotional dysregulation.

He added: “School was hard. Teachers didn’t understand what I was going through. They thought I was just a naughty kid. I was moved out of several schools because they couldn’t manage the risks I presented. I was constantly sent out of class because I couldn’t concentrate or listen. At the time, I didn’t care - I was overwhelmed by everything going on in my head.

“I just felt so alone. I had no hope for the future. When I first arrived at the CAMHS unit, I was very unwell. But no matter how bad things got, the staff never stopped trying. They never lost hope. They didn’t give up on me like others had.”

The updated RSHE guidance encourages secondary schools to work closely with mental health professionals to deliver suicide prevention education in age-appropriate ways. This aligns with the government’s broader initiative to ensure every school has access to a mental health professional, helping children thrive both emotionally and academically.

Headteacher Peter Rainford said: “Every behaviour is a form of communication. Children who are misbehaving, struggling to concentrate, becoming withdrawn, or even avoiding school altogether could benefit enormously from our LightBulb courses.”

“Our programme is led by teachers who are experts in supporting young people with mental health difficulties. Together, we help students build emotional resilience, develop distress tolerance skills, and grow more confident in their decision-making.

“We’re offering pastoral support that many schools currently lack. We’re passionate about helping young people manage their emotions, improve friendships and social skills, and learn how to self-regulate when upset.”

LightBulb courses are designed to help young people develop essential skills for understanding and managing their emotions. Available for both primary and secondary pupils, the programme runs in small groups over eight weekly sessions, featuring interactive activities and guided discussions.

By the end of the course, participants will have gained greater confidence in expressing their feelings and built stronger resilience to face life’s challenges. To find out more, click here.