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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 609 asked in the Legislative Council on 10 August 2022 by Hon Dr Steve Thomas

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

SCHOOLS — SUICIDE AND SELF-HARM PREVENTION GUIDELINES

609. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the Minister for Education and Training:

I refer to the School response and planning guidelines for students with suicidal behaviour and non-suicidal self-injury, which, according to the minister's ministerial statement yesterday, was endorsed by the three education sectors of Catholic Education WA, the Association of Independent Schools of WA and the Department of Education WA in 2018.

(1) Did the endorsement from each of the three sections of the education system equate to a general indication of support but not a commitment to adopt and deliver the plan?

(2) Did that endorsement from each section involve a written response?

(3) If yes to (2), please table a copy of each response.

(4) Please table the direction or correspondence to each section that indicates that the guidelines are optional.

Hon SUE ELLERY replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. I think he is looking for something that he is just not going to find.

(1)–(4) The guidelines were developed collaboratively by the public and Catholic education systems, and AISWA representing independent schools. They developed them in a joint process. They did not then sign a letter saying that they agreed with this. They were part of putting it together. The guidelines are intended to be used in conjunction with existing school-based policies and complement, not replace, the skills and knowledge gained through attending training such as youth mental health first aid and Gatekeeper suicide prevention.