Supporting safe, sensitive reporting of child and youth suicide
Australian media professionals now have access to a new guide featuring advice to support safe and sensitive communication about child and youth suicide.
The way media communicates about the suicide of young Australians can have a profound impact on other young people as well as their families and broader communities.
Developed in partnership with batyr, headspace, orygen, ReachOut, Prevention United and Kids Helpline, this free resource features advice designed to empower media professionals to contribute to safer, more accurate and more sensitive public communication while contributing to prevention efforts by reducing barriers to help-seeking and help-offering.
This quick reference guide includes tips and sections such as:
- Ways to promote help-seeking, help-offering and promoting stories of survival and support.
- Things to avoid when reporting on youth suicide.
- Cultural considerations to keep in mind.
- Understanding the potential impact of news and social media on social transmission.
- Understanding suicide in the context of bullying.
- Reporting on intersectionality in the context of suicide.
- Highlighting and platforming youth voices to aid suicide prevention.
- Sharing stories of family and friends bereaved by suicide.
- Language and terms to use and avoid when referring to suicide.
It is recommended that this guide be in conjunction with the resource Reporting suicide and mental ill-health: A Mindframe resource for media professionals. Further language guidance can be found in the Our words matter: Guidelines for language use along with guidance for the use of images when illustrating stories relating to suicide or mental health concerns.