School-based programmes to prevent suicide and build resilience among students. A literature review and national stocktake

In response to a number of suicides among young people in South Canterbury over the past 2-3 years, South Canterbury District Health Board (SCDHB) is considering investing in school-based suicide prevention programmes.

In order to assist SCDHB in choosing suitable programmes, the Information Team at Community & Public Health, Christchurch, was asked to review the evidence base for a variety of programmes, including those with the specific and explicit aim of preventing suicide and those with the more general aim of promoting resilience and emotional wellbeing. To ensure that existing school-based efforts to prevent suicide and build resilience were not overlooked, the Information Team was also asked to find out about programmes that may already be in use at both a local and a national level.

Since the literature review and national programme inquiry that were conducted in response to these requests were deemed to be useful for a broader audience than SCDHB personnel, these parts of the original report are being made widely available, particularly via health and education sector networks.