Suicide prevention in schools: support and resources for teachers
Suicide is preventable, and talking openly about suicide can help save lives. Suicide Prevention Month is recognised each September, with World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September, helping to raise awareness, reduce stigma and encourage action to prevent suicide.
1 in 5 people will experience suicidal feelings at some point in their lives.
In the financial year 2025–2026, Education Support’s free helpline supported 4,758 teachers, school leaders and education staff. More than 400 callers were clinically assessed to be at risk of suicide.
These figures highlight the critical need for suicide prevention in schools and education settings, as well as supportive environments where teachers, school leaders and education staff feel able to talk about their mental health and seek help.
On this page, you’ll find free suicide prevention resources for schools and education staff, including practical guidance on how to talk about suicide, how to support a colleague experiencing suicidal thoughts, and where to find immediate mental health support.
What to do if you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harm
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, or you feel unable to keep yourself safe, call 999 or go to A&E immediately.
Education Support’s free, confidential helpline for teachers and education staff is available 24/7 across the UK on 08000 562 561.
When you call, you’ll speak to a qualified counsellor who can provide immediate emotional support. You don’t have to be in crisis to call. Whatever you’re dealing with, we’re here to listen.
Our helpline provides mental health support for teachers, school leaders and education staff, including support for people experiencing suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, stress, anxiety, depression or other challenges affecting their wellbeing.
How to support someone experiencing suicidal thoughts
If you’re worried that a teacher, colleague or member of your school community may be experiencing suicidal thoughts, having a supportive conversation can be an important first step.
You don’t need to have all the answers. Listening without judgement, asking how someone is feeling and helping them access appropriate support can make a significant difference.
Our resources below provide practical guidance on:
Recognising signs that someone may be experiencing suicidal thoughts
How to start a supportive conversation about suicide
Questions you can ask if you’re concerned about a colleague
How teachers and education staff can access immediate support
How school leaders and line managers can respond to concerns about suicide
How to create a school culture where people feel able to talk openly about mental health and suicide
Where to signpost colleagues for further professional support
How to look after your own wellbeing when supporting someone experiencing suicidal thoughts
Free suicide prevention resources for schools and education staff
Our guide provides practical information about suicide and suicidal feelings in the education workplace.
This resource offers practical advice on suicide prevention and awareness in schools.
This personal story explores one teacher’s experience of suicidal thoughts, mental ill-health and recovery.
This personal story explores depression, mental health and teaching.
Hear from a trained counsellor about what happens when you call Education Support’s free emotional support helpline for teachers and education staff.
Charlie’s story shares how our helpline offered vital support during a personal crisis.
Download our free helpline poster, available in English and Welsh, to display it in your school staffroom or on the back of staff toilet doors.
The poster helps ensure that teachers, school leaders and education staff know where to find immediate, free mental health support when they need it.
Support our free helpline for teachers and education staff
At this moment, someone working in education is at breaking point: exhausted, overwhelmed, and far from the joy that brought them into the classroom. Your donation brings the joy back to teaching. It funds urgent, practical support when they need it most. Read Charlie’s story above about how our helpline offered vital support during a crisis.
About the author
Gemma Scotcher has a background in corporate public affairs and crisis communications and leads Education Support’s efforts to raise awareness of the pressures facing educators. Gemma works closely with teachers, school leaders and policymakers to ensure wellbeing is treated as a priority, not a luxury, in the education system.
Gemma is a passionate mental health advocate, with training in psychotherapy, counselling skills, and analytic psychology. She is also a listening volunteer for the Samaritans and a former board director of Brighton's LGBT Switchboard. Through her outreach across England, she supports educators to recognise and prioritise their own mental health and the importance of supportive school environments.
Webpage last reviewed September 2026
Don’t wait for a crisis to call.
We’ll offer you immediate, emotional support.
08000 562 561
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