Number of suicide attempts at NSW public schools revealed

The number of suicide attempts by students in NSW public schools in a single year has been revealed in shocking new government documents.

Students attempted suicide on NSW school grounds more than 100 times in a single year, according to a shocking report released by the state’s education department.

The NSW Education Department’s annual incident log has revealed 127 instances of students attempting suicide across the state between term one and term four last year.

In one report made to the NSW Department of Education, teachers reported a student at a Bathurst school attempted to take their life on school grounds with a weapon they had brought onto the campus.

Teachers had to perform first aid on the child.

Charlotte, a Year 7 student who tragically died by suicide.

In another incident at a Windsor school, a student attempted to take their own life at school with the “consumption of a substance”.

Police and paramedics were called to the school and the student was taken to hospital.

Not all of the incidents listed in the report resulted in physical injury, with school staff stepping in to prevent some attempts of self-harm.

The shocking figures follow the recent death of Santa Sabina College student Charlotte, who took her own life at her family home this month.

The 12-year-old left a note to her parents telling them girls at school had made “life too hard” and begged her mum to “tell the school please”.

A school in Woronora River was placed in lockdown last year, after a student attempted suicide on the grounds. The student was taken to hospital by ambulance and with a police escort.

As well as suicide attempts, there were over 60 incidents of self-harm on school campuses around NSW. Picture: iStock

In some instances, other students witnessed suicide attempts. During one incident in Sydney’s north, multiple students watched as their peer attempted to take their life. The teachers provided first aid, and the student was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

As well as suicide attempts, there were over 60 incidents of self-harm on school campuses around the state. The self-harm was reported separately from suicide attempts and included students self-harming and sometimes injuring others.

At a school in Auburn, a student self-harmed and then caused injuries to multiple students and a staff member.

The report also revealed a staff member at a Sydney school attempted suicide on campus, while an employee in the state’s north displayed “suicidal intentions” and self-harmed on campus.

The figures show that of these 127 attempts, an ambulance was called 80 times, and students were hospitalised 88 times.

Psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg said Australia had been hit hard by a mental health crisis.

“To fix it, we need to look at the science and the science tells us that the number one reason people try and take their own lives is that they have undiagnosed or untreated mental health problems. We need to get better at early detection and early intervention. That means schools need to be trained up,” he said.

“The state government needs to put more money in training teachers up in Mental Health First Aid so that we can get better at detecting this kind of problem before it escalates to an attempt on their own lives,” he said.

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Originally published as Number of suicide attempts at NSW public schools revealed